By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor
GREEN BAY – Green Bay resident Bob Parker said he’s always been a Green Bay Packers fan, even while serving in the United States Air Force for the last 31 years.
Growing up about 55 miles southeast of La Crosse in Hillsboro, Parker was recently nominated to become the 23rd member of the Packers FAN Hall of Fame.
“It’s been lots of fun being nominated,” said Parker. “After my wife (Janet) nominated me, I didn’t expect to be named a finalist, but it’s been entertaining. It’s been fun to reminisce about things through the voting process.”
The 49-year-old Parker will officially retire from the Air Force Jan. 31.
“Ironically, the voting ends the same day I’ll be retiring,” he said. “For me, the Air Force has been fun, but I’m starting to feel the aches and pains. The military is more of a young person’s game.”
Parker served in Belgium, Japan, Korea, Hawaii and other spots in the United States.
He’s also lived in Italy and Germany.
“I graduated from high school in Germany,” he said. “We’ve lived all over the globe, but we’ve always considered Wisconsin our home. When our oldest son decided to attend the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, it was an easy decision to move here to provide him support.”
Parker said his wife needed a little convincing to move here for the long term, but now she loves it.
“She’s been used to the military life with moving every couple of years,” he said. “This past summer, she looked for a house and found one. The more time she spent in the area – we were apart for about five months – the more she loves it. Now she says, ‘We can stay here forever.’ She’s never been good with directions, but now she’s barking out orders when we drive around town.”
Parker said living in Hawaii gave him one of his most memorable Packers moments.
“I was at the 1997 Pro Bowl,” he said. “As an enlisted troop, I was selected to serve on the color guard for the game because it was the Air Force’s 50th birthday year. I got a wave from Brett Favre. This was after the Packers beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXI. I also remember seeing Reggie White.”
Parker said his first “real game” was later that year in December.
“I came home to Wisconsin to spend time with family, so we went to the Buffalo Bills game,” he said. “To see the players live was an incredible feeling, and it was cold. It was too cold for me to take off my shirt.”
Parker has attended 12 games total, including the Browns game (in 2005) when White had his No. 92 retired by the organization.
“I’ve also been to a few Minnesota Vikings games but never to a (Chicago) Bears game,” he said. “That’s on my list. I was also at the NFC Championship game (in 2008) when Favre threw his last pass as a Packers player. It was heartbreaking to see, but it was a great game.”
Parker said he loved watching Favre play, but his two favorite players are White and Donald Driver.
“Reggie’s love for the game and the way he lived his life as a Christian puts him at the top of my list,” he said. “My wife got to meet Driver in Best Buy. She grabbed my hat off the top of my head and jumped out of the van. She asked for an autograph, but he didn’t want to right then. She and my father got a handshake instead. My father raised his hand and said, ‘I may never wash this hand again.’”
Parker owns stock in the team, but he’s never been to a Packers Training Camp practice.
“That’s one of my goals,” he said. “I’ve also never been to a shareholder’s meeting. Because of military requirements, it’s been hard to plan. Now that I live in Green Bay, I’m bound and determined to be there and watching. Maybe I’ll even get my bike out and have one of the players ride it.”
Fans have until midnight Jan. 31 to visit packers.com/fhof (or by CLICKING HERE) to read the stories of the 10 finalists and vote for their favorite.