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Thereafter, Nelson worked as a nurse at a hospital on Rikers Island in [[New York City]], where one of her patients for a time was Mary Mallon, known as "[[Typhoid Mary]]". She was later recruited by the Red Cross for duty with the [[United States Army]] Nurse Corps during [[World War II]]. She achieved the rank of [[major]] before she retired from the Army and returned to her home area in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]], across the Red River from the larger city of Alexandria. She was a nurse for the Central Louisiana Community Action Committee, an Alexandria-Pineville "anti-poverty" program established by [[Great Society]] legislation. She worked in area [[hospital]]s, nursing homes and did volunteer work.<ref name=obit/>

Thereafter, Nelson worked as a nurse at a hospital on Rikers Island in [[New York City]], where one of her patients for a time was Mary Mallon, known as "[[Typhoid Mary]]". She was later recruited by the Red Cross for duty with the [[United States Army]] Nurse Corps during [[World War II]]. She achieved the rank of [[major]] before she retired from the Army and returned to her home area in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]], across the Red River from the larger city of Alexandria. She was a nurse for the Central Louisiana Community Action Committee, an Alexandria-Pineville "anti-poverty" program established by [[Great Society]] legislation. She worked in area [[hospital]]s, nursing homes and did volunteer work.<ref name=obit/>

On December 27, 1998, then [[Mayor]] Fred H. Baden issued a proclamation declaring "Gertrude Nelson Day" in Pineville. It was one day after her hundredth birthday.<ref name=obit/>

On December 27, 1998, then [[Mayor]] [[Fred Baden]] issued a proclamation declaring "Gertrude Nelson Day" in Pineville. It was one day after her hundredth birthday.<ref name=obit/>

Nelson died in the Veterans Affairs Medical Nursing Home in Pineville, aged 102 years and eleven months. She was survived by two adopted children, Gerald Williams of [[Atlanta]], [[Georgia]], and Linda Nelson of the Taylor Hill community in Rapides Parish. Services were held in Nelson's home church, the Union [[Baptist]] Church in Colfax. Interment was in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Pineville with full military honors through the Alexandria/Pineville Veterans Honor Guard. She often attended the Good Hope Baptist Church in Pineville.<ref name=obit/>

Nelson died in the Veterans Affairs Medical Nursing Home in Pineville, aged 102 years and eleven months. She was survived by two adopted children, Gerald Williams of [[Atlanta]], [[Georgia]], and Linda Nelson of the Taylor Hill community in Rapides Parish. Services were held in Nelson's home church, the Union [[Baptist]] Church in Colfax. Interment was in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Pineville with full military honors through the Alexandria/Pineville Veterans Honor Guard. She often attended the Good Hope Baptist Church in Pineville.<ref name=obit/>