Robert Emmett McPartlin

Born January 25th, 1934, in Trenton, Ontario to Mac and Rita. The eldest of four; big brother to Jack, Stewart and Janet, Bob wasted no time setting out on a rich and storied life and career.

Before even finishing high school he was helping to run the family farm while his artistic talents found their footing, working early on at the local Air Force base, illustrating cross-sections of aircraft for instructional materials. 

As a young man, he played trombone in resort bands around Ontario, and was known for adventuring and plein-aire painting around Algonquin Park and around Northern Ontario, as well as venturing westward to work as a tour guide, firewatch, and hotel staffer in Banff, Alberta. 

Following his time at the Ontario College of Art, he embarked on an illustrious career in advertising art direction in which he ran his own studio in Toronto for thirty-some years. It was during this time that Bob caught the travel bug—the kid from Trenton who grew up reading adventure stories by Robert Louis Stevenson and Jack London was now taking ski trips to Austria, exploring the Caribbean; Jamaica, Barbados, the Virgin Islands, and the South Pacific; Tahiti and Western Samoa, learning to sail, and even going after his pilot’s licence. 

Semi-retirement brought him to Costa Rica with wife and kids in tow, to start anew, learn a new language, explore beaches and jungles, and rediscover his love of painting. 

Later years were spent in Victoria, BC, where he continued to paint, and was a fixture in the local art scene. 

Bob was endlessly creative, and always quick to whip up a cartoon or a portrait for a new friend, which he seemed to make everywhere he went. A quick wit, and an irreverent prankster who loved to laugh, he was also serious about his art. He was a consummate storyteller, and a voracious reader with a keen interest in archaeology and history. 

Bob passed away in the early morning of August 12th, 2026, at the age of ninety-two, leaving behind his wife, Sally, his two sons, Emmett and Oliver, daughters-in-law Sarah and Becca, and grandkids Rosie and Sawyer. 

He was loved, and will be missed.