Jeffery Robert Burkhard, 21, formerly of Liberty Center, died Thursday morning in a motorcycle accident in Austin, Texas, where he was currently residing.

A 1982 graduate of Liberty Center High School, Burkhard played defensive end and tackle for the school’s state football playoff team in 1981. He also was a member of LC’s wrestling, baseball and basketball teams.

Born in Toledo on October 27, 1963, he was the son of Robert and Carol (Webb) Burkhard. He graduated in 1984 from I.T.T. Technical College in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and for the past year had worked in Austin as an air conditioning and refrigeration serviceman for Christianson Refrigeration.

Surviving are his father in Holland, Ohio; his mother, Mrs. James (Carol) Zacharias, Liberty Center; one sister, Trudie, Liberty Center; two half-brothers, Chris Zacharias, Liberty Center, and Billy Burkhard, Holland; one half-sister, Bobbie Burkhard, Holland; one step-sister, Mrs. Mark (Cheri) Ten Eyck, Toledo; one step-brother, James Zacharias, Toledo; maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Smith, Liberty Center; paternal grandparents, Mrs. Lucille Burkhard, Holland, and a maternal great-grandmother, Mrs. Lena Turner, Montpelier.

Services will be conducted at Croll-Wright Funeral Home, Liberty Center, on Monday at 11 a.m. The Reverend Roselin Runnels will officiate, and burial will be in Youngs Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 p.m. Sunday. The family suggests any memorials be made to Liberty Center United Methodist Church.