Bob Parkins

Bob Parkins, age 81, went home to be with the Lord Saturday night, June 19th, 2010, at his home in Grants Pass.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM Friday, July 9th, at Faith Baptist Church, 3405 Williams Highway in Grants Pass. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Faith Baptist Church, 3405 Williams Highway, Grants Pass, OR 97527, or Child Evangelism Fellowship, P.O. Box 755, Grants Pass, OR 97528.

Bob was born July 23rd, 1928, in Dubuque, Iowa, to Frank and Mabel Parkins. He was the oldest of six kids. Always ambitious, Bob worked three jobs while attending high school in Dubuque, including night shift at the Dubuque Packing Company. He moved with his family to Grants Pass while he was still in high school, and graduated from Grants Pass High School in 1947.

In the years following graduation, Bob worked a variety of jobs. He bought a trailer towing rig and hauled mobile homes out of Long Beach, California. He was the assistant parts manager at Kelt Chevrolet, worked in sales for companies such as Pro Jo, Montgomery Ward and Littrell Parts, and was a truck driver for Western Rogue Materials, delivering wood products to Las Vegas. Bob also served six years in the National Guard.

In the 50s, Bob’s passion was driving midget racecars, which he did very successfully. He won a lot of trophies, and was well known, from Portland to the Bay Area. A 1954 article in the San Jose Mercury called him, “…one of the finest ‘doodle car’ racers in the Northwest.”

In 1961, Bob married Kay Williams, of Wimer. In the early 70s, they purchased a Mr. Swiss restaurant franchise, which they opened in the A-frame building on “E” street in Grants Pass, where Jimmy’s Drive In is today. A short time after opening the restaurant, the Mr. Swiss chain began to decline, so Bob and Kay went independent, and changed the name to The Cave In.

They owned the restaurant for twelve enjoyable years. Their children, Scott and Shelly, worked there throughout their high school years, along with several of their friends. The “family atmosphere” was contagious, as many of the other employees and frequent customers soon became “part of the family”. After selling The Cave In in the early 80s, Bob went back to truck driving. He drove for Eagle Forest Products and SeaMac, and then, in 1987, he went to work for Hays Oil, driving gasoline super tankers. Fifteen and a half years later, in December 2002, he retired. But retired life wasn’t for Bob, so after two years, he was back behind the wheel, working as a courier for Senvoy. He spent his days running in and out of banks, stores and medical facilities, making new friends wherever he went.

Bob loved the Lord with all his heart, and his prayer was that he could stay active in the Lord’s work until the end of his life, and that prayer was answered! He and Kay served Him in Child Evangelism Fellowship for over 40 years. They were both State Board committee members in the 70s, and served together as Directors of Child Evangelism’s Josephine District for a number of years. Bob was also Oregon State Board Chairman for Child Evangelism. In the late 70s and early 80s, he was active in his church, and served as School Board Chairman at New Hope Christian School.

Bob is survived by his loving wife of almost 49 years, Kay Parkins, son Scott Parkins of Grants Pass, daughter Shelly Wager and her husband, Brian, of Medford, three grandchildren, Rylee, Chase and Cade Wager, all of Medford; sisters Betty Fowler of Grants Pass, Anita Swank of Glide, Oregon, and Elaine Robertson of Grants Pass, and brother Wayne Parkins, of Tigard, Oregon.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Frank and Mabel Parkins, step-mother Grace Parkins, and brother, Charles Parkins.