Born in East Liverpool, Feb 20, 1936, son of the late Walter R. Niblock and Kathryn McKim Niblock, he was graduated from East Liverpool High School in 1953, where he participated in athletics and excelled in academics. During this time he served as a football manager under the late ELHS coach, Wade Watts, who encouraged him to attend and later work as a counselor at Pine Ridge YMCA camp. It was here that Mr. Niblock developed an interest in the out-of-doors, particularly swimming, a sport which he participated in throughout his life.

Following high school, he went on to Baldwin-Wallace College, where he earned a degree in journalism and then a Masters of Science from Boston University in 1958. At B-W, he was editor of the school newspaper, The Exponent, was on the wrestling team and served as a football manager. He was also a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Social Fraternity.

In 1958, he returned to his hometown, working as a reporter at The East Liverpool Review, where his father had served many years as the composing room foreman. Teamed with well-know writer, Chuck Cronin, the two covered a wide range of stories, but primarily worked the weekend sports beat. It was during this time that the pair covered the East Liverpool "Potters" football victory over Paul Warfield and the Warren Panthers, long considered the school’s greatest athletic accomplishment.

In 1974 he was recruited by Senator Earnest "Fritz" Hollings to direct the ocean research activities of the newly created Office of Technology Assessment (OTA). He held that position for 21 years until his retirement in 1995. During that period he was instrumental in developing an innovative analytical framework for assessing the environmental and economic impacts of technologies and communicating them to Members of Congress.

Prior to joining OTA, he was executive director of the Marine Technology Society, a professional organization of marine scientists and engineers. Previously he was editor of the Undersea Technology magazine, and founding editor of Oceanology newsletter. Mr. Niblock spent two years on the staff of the Oceanographer of the Navy, and before that he was with the Newport News Mariners Museum.

A Navy veteran, his love of the sea continued to draw him close. He was an avid scuba diver and a member of Seaspace Symposium, an organization of leaders in industry, science and government devoted to solving technical problems shared by space and marine technology.

In 2001 he sailed trans-Atlantic, with good friend Jim Curlin, from Norfolk to Portugal, which crowned his love for sailing small boats on large seas. He was a member of the Ocean Cruising Club, an international organization of deep ocean sailors.

After his retirement a belief in the therapeutic value of massage led him to train as a certified massage therapist and he later became the director of development of the Potomac Massage Training Institute.

Long a supporter of his hometown, where he was affectionately known as "Rob", he was an active member of the East Liverpool High School Alumni Association, serving as vice-chair of each All-Class Reunion since 1987. He was particularly involved in the dedication of the organization’s Clock Tower in 1992, and this past fall was able to attend the East Liverpool High School vs. Steubenville football game, visiting the team locker room afterwards.

Bob was a charter member of the CACS and served on it's Board of Directors from the beginning.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, the former Nancy Shaw of Norfolk. He later married Janet Demitros, on June 2, 1984, who survives at the family residence in McLean, Va.

There is one son Robert McKim Niblock and his wife Elizabeth of Alexandria, two daughters; Lisa Lawson along with her husband Duane of Rehoboth Beach, Del and Amy Staebler of Herndon Va. In addition there four grandsons also survive; Davis, Calvin, and Cory Lawson along with Barry Staebler, and a sister, Nancy Wern of North Canton, Ohio. .