Betty Reid Soskin was the oldest ranger to ever serve in the US National Park Service, retiring at age 100.
Betty Reid Soskin, the oldest ranger to ever serve in the US National Park Service, died on December 21, 2025, at the age of 104. peaceful in his home surrounded by relatives, according to family statements.
Soskin became a prominent figure in American history as a National Park Service interpreter and ranger at Rosie the Riveter/World War II Main Front National Historical Park in Richmond, California, where she helped shape the park’s history by including neglected stories of women, people of color, and the home front during World War II.
He was born in 1921. on Sept. 22 in Detroit, Soskin grew up in a family steeped in African-American history and faced racial segregation. during his youth and early career. During World War II, he worked in a segregated union hall, gaining first-hand experience that later informed his work as a park ranger.
Soskin joined the National Park Service in 2007 at age 85, first serving as an associate professor and later becoming a full-time employee in 2011. He continued to guide visitors and share his personal memories of that era, becoming known for his engaging stories and passion for inclusive history. He retired in March 2022 at age 100 as the nation’s oldest serviced park.
His influence extended beyond the gardens. Soskin founded Reid’s Records, one of the earliest black record stores in California, and active in civil rights and community work. She delivered presentations that connected national visitors with local and national stories of resilience and service.
The Obama Foundation made is a post X: praising Soskini lifetime dedication stating, “In addition to telling his own stories, he also ensured that the stories of countless people of color who faced discrimination at home during the war were added to our collective understanding of the time.
American history is told more fully, our history is more fully known, and our understanding of black women’s experiences is richer because of Betty Reed Soskin. A mother, businesswoman, federal employee and the nation’s oldest national park ranger when she retired… pic.twitter.com/54BouvN0aF
– Obama Foundation (@ObamaFoundation) December 22, 2025
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