Betty Reid Soskin, the oldest full-time National Park Service (NPS) ranger in U.S. history, passed away peacefully at her Richmond, California home on Sunday at the age of 104, her family announced.
“This morning on the Winter Solstice, our mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Betty Reid Soskin, passed away peacefully at her home in Richmond, CA at 104 years old. She was attended by family. She led a fully packed life and was ready to leave,” the family said in a statement.
Soskin’s remarkable career with the National Park Service began later in life. She first joined the NPS as a temporary employee at age 84, working on a grant to document the untold stories of Black Americans’ contributions on the U.S. home front during World War II. Her work at the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, California, eventually led to her becoming a permanent NPS employee in 2011.
She officially retired in 2022 but remained a beloved figure and long-time docent at the Rosie the Riveter museum, where she shared her knowledge and passion for history with visitors from across the country.
Throughout her life, Soskin was celebrated not only for her role as a park ranger but also as a trailblazer in preserving African American history and sharing stories that had been historically overlooked. Her dedication and vitality inspired countless visitors and colleagues, proving that age is no barrier to impact or service.
Soskin’s legacy endures through her contributions to the National Park Service and her tireless advocacy for telling the full story of America’s past.
