Because of his father's career at GMAC, Parkinson spent his childhood in various cities in the United States including San Diego, CA, New York, NY, Miami, Florida, and Lansing, Michigan.

The next day, he called back, and had an opening.”[2] Parkinson also worked on projects including book covers, game boxes, magazines and calendars.

[citation needed] During the 1990s, Parkinson created many of the book covers for the multi-genre role-playing game Rifts and its supplements.

Other works from this time include a set of art trading cards and a screensaver produced by Second Nature Software.

According to Brad McQuaid, when Parkinson knew he could not finish the box art for Vanguard, he hoped that his friend Donato Giancola would complete it.

Keith Parkinson, an iconic '80s D&D mainstay, delivered many of the best covers for Rifts books, including the core rulebooks, and it is gratifying to see the game's weirdness fuel the artist's expansive vision.

[9] A small graveside funeral was held at Mission San Luis Rey de Francia led by Vicar David Smith of Faith Lutheran Church in Vista, California.

[10] After his death, an art expo called "The Masters of Fantasy Art—A Tribute to Keith Parkinson" went on tour from February to July 2007.

"[11] In August and September 2008, Parkinson's alma mater Kendall College of Art and Design at Ferris State University, honored him and his TSR contemporaries Larry Elmore and Jeff Easley with a gallery exhibit called "Out of the Dungeons".

Director of Exhibitions Sarah Joseph stated, "We wanted to honor Parkinson [...] It seemed fitting to include Elmore and Easley, since all three of them worked together for a number of years.

"[12] In 2014, Scott Taylor of Black Gate, named Keith Parkinson as #7 in a list of The Top 10 RPG Artists of the Past 40 Years, saying "He was never one that got Elmore or Easley props, but he had a style that he continued to evolve and hone until it turned from very, very good into simply outstanding.