The family of Agnes Speer, 97, a World War II nurse and resident of The Watermark at Bellingham in West Chester, organized a celebration for her on International Nurses Day, writes Alicia Vitarelli for 6ABC.

Speer began her decades-long nursing career in the Army Nurse Corps. When World War II broke out, she treated the returning wounded soldiers.

Like every true hero, she said she only did what she had to do. She did, however, enjoy basic training quite a bit.

“To me, it was a vacation to be away from work and responsibility and bedpans,” said Speer. “I got to climb poles. It was like summer camp.”

Speer has two sons, five grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren. The celebration was the first time some of her relatives had been able to see her in a long time.

Some of her younger descendants were especially impressed with her Army work.

“You were a nurse in the Army,” said Speer’s seven-year-old great-granddaughter, Hillary. “That means a lot to our world.”

Those of a certain age are usually impressed when they hear she treated comedian Red Skelton while he was in the Army.

Read more about Agnes Speer at 6ABC.