Brainerd Resident and WWII Vet Celebrates 100th Birthday

Edgewood Vista in Brainerd is home to senior residents from across the country, and they recently had one of their own reaching a very special milestone.

Curt Nelson of Brainerd celebrated his 100th birthday on Tuesday. Nelson spent most of his life here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but he traveled far beyond the streets of Brainerd while serving in World War II.

But with all of the newfound attention on him for his milestone birthday, Nelson is having trouble keeping his fans at bay.

“I’m finding it tough to be the center of attention,” he told Lakeland News. “Everybody wanted to talk to me, and there was almost 60 people there. And so it was enjoyable because I hadn’t seen a lot of these people for many, many years.”

Nelson says that his secret to a long life is his good genes, citing his father, who lived to be 109.