Jean Pietras-Burdick is retiring from her position as financial secretary of First United Methodist Church, 400 N. George St., after 33 years of service. A pot-luck dinner will be held in her honor on Sunday at the church, following the regular worship service which begins at 10:45 a.m.
Pietras-Burdick was appointed to position of financial secretary for the church effective July 1, 1976. Current pastor, the Rev. Alan Howe, is the seventh pastor she has served with.
A fourth generation member of the church, Pietras-Burdick has attended Rome First United Methodist Church all of her life and became a member in 1933. She taught third grade Sunday School for many years and played piano for the Primary Department opening exercises each Sunday.
Pietras-Burdick has also been active in the Girl Scout troop at the church, joining as a young girl and going on to be leader of the troop for over 60 years. She has been an active member of the United Methodist Women, and its predecessor Women’s Society of Christian Service, and was a circle leader and served terms as UMW treasurer at both the local and District levels.
For 39 years, she has served as chairperson of Pioneer Ham Dinner held each summer at the church. She also heads up the baked goods sale on Honor America Days parade day each year.
Now retired from the Rome City School District, Pietras-Burdick taught school for several years right out of college, including two years in a one room schoolhouse. After her children were in school, she returned to teaching as a tutor for students who were expected to be out of school for an extended period of time. She later completed courses for certification as a teacher of the visually handicapped and worked one-on-one with these students to help them keep up with their classmates.
