Park Ranger, 94, To Light National Christmas Tree

A great honor for a great lady: NBC Bay Area reports the nation’s oldest National Parker Ranger, 94-years-young Betty Reid Soskin, will do the honor of lighting the national Christmas tree and introduce President Obama at the ceremony on Dec. 3 in Washington. Reid Soskin is a Bay Area girl and works as a ranger at the Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historic Park in Richmond.

Here’s from NBC Bay Area’s Lisa Fernandez:

“I was stunned,” said Betty Reid Soskin, 94, who before the request was having a pretty off day last week while working as an interpretive park ranger at the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historic Park in Richmond, California. During World War II, Soskin worked as a clerk for the all-black Boilermakers A-36.

Soskin said that not only was she invited to attend the Dec. 3 tree lighting, but she was asked to introduce the president of the United States. The National Park Service has not formally announced the full guest list yet. The event will be streamed online.

Folks in her hometown are thrilled. But not surprised.

They’re now used to the woman who grabbed headlines in 2013 when she told Congress to get its act together and end the government shutdown. She said at her age, she was running out of time and didn’t want to waste any more of it sitting at home.

“Everyone loves her. Betty is the iconic face of the park,” Richmond Mayor Tom Butt said of Soskin on Wednesday morning. “And the publicity is good for our national park and our city.”

Congrats to Betty and keep up the good work presenting America’s history to visitors.