Betty Reid Soskin was a quiet yet formidable force in American history—a woman whose life bridged generations and reshaped how the nation understands its past. The oldest serving ranger in the National Park Service at the time of her retirement, Soskin passed away peacefully at the age of 104. Her family shared that she left this world fulfilled and surrounded by love, leaving behind a legacy grounded in service, education, and truth.
Soskin officially retired from the National Park Service in 2022 at the age of 100, though her influence reached far beyond her years in uniform. Remarkably, she did not begin her work with the Park Service until her eighties. She played a vital role in shaping the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park, ensuring that the stories of African Americans and other historically overlooked communities were woven into the broader narrative of World War II. Through her programs, visitors encountered a more complete and honest account of the American home front.
Born in 1921, Soskin lived through nearly every defining chapter of modern U.S. history. During World War II, she worked in a segregated labor environment—an experience that deeply influenced her lifelong commitment to fairness, inclusion, and historical accuracy. In 1945, she co-founded a music store that became a lasting cultural landmark, and later went on to serve in local and state government roles, continuing her advocacy for representation and community engagement.
Even in her later years, Soskin remained passionately engaged, reminding audiences of the importance of understanding history in its full complexity. Honored nationally in 2015, she once described the recognition as both humbling and surreal. Though her passing marks the end of an extraordinary life, her influence endures. Betty Reid Soskin did more than witness history—she preserved it with integrity and purpose, inspiring generations to come.