scorecard
  1. Home
  2. Careers
  3. Meet the 94-year-old park ranger who works full-time and never wants to retire

Meet the 94-year-old park ranger who works full-time and never wants to retire

Meet the 94-year-old park ranger who works full-time and never wants to retire
Careers1 min read

Betty Reid Soskin 2

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Betty Reid Soskin.

At 94, Betty Reid Soskin is something of a celebrity.

The park ranger assigned to the Rosie the Riveter-World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, California, writes frequently on her blog, has her own Wikipedia page, and has been interviewed by numerous media outlets.

She's become so popular, she says, that the park's tour audiences have doubled, tours are now booked months ahead, and the park has added tours to keep up.

There's no question why Soskin is such a celebrity: She's seen it all and has lived "lots and lots of lives," as she tells NPR.

Soskin served as a clerk in an all-black trade union during World War II, became a political activist and noted songwriter during the civil-rights movement, and now interprets her wartime experience through her stories.

But she is not simply the oldest active ranger in the National Park Service - Soskin helped shape what the park has become, first as a consultant and later as an interpretive park ranger, and she's even been honored by President Barack Obama for her service.

Soskin works five days a week, about five hours a day, and occasionally works extra hours. Most Wednesdays and Fridays, Soskin will spend the day answering emails and requests from her desk at headquarters in downtown Richmond. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays she'll work at the Visitor Education Center and give two or three presentations in its small theater.

Some days she'll conduct bus tours through the sites that make up the national park or give presentations.

Last year, Soskin gave Business Insider a glimpse into her life, and she had a lot to say:

READ MORE ARTICLES ON


Advertisement

Advertisement