A Tennessee Republican lawmaker died overnight at his residence in Montgomery County. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said that Tennessee Representative Jeff Burkhart (R-Clarksville) was discovered deceased at home early Friday morning. He was 63 years old. The sheriff’s office said the call came in at about 7 a.m.
Burkhart used to be a firefighter in Clarksville and worked his way up to assistant fire chief. He then joined the Clarksville City Council in 2008. He was chosen to represent Montgomery County’s District 75 in 2022 and kept that job until he died on Friday morning. Several of Burkhart’s Republican coworkers have made public statements about how sad they are that he died.
Senator Marsha Blackburn noted that Burkhart would be “deeply missed.”
“State Rep. Jeff Burkhart was a good friend who always showed up to help others. He loved representing Montgomery County and was fully dedicated to improving the lives of those he represented. My condolences to his family and friends. He will be deeply missed,” Blackburn wrote on X.
Tennessee Republican Caucus Chair Jeremy Faison (R-Cosby) also lent his condolences and described his friendship with Burhart.
“Over the last several years, I’ve had the privilege of knocking on doors for members of my @tnhousegop. The doors I hit for Jeff Burkhart left a lasting impression on me. Montgomery County knew, loved, and appreciated their Rep. Jeff was loved! Door after door I would hear stories of how Jeff had helped their family. Fire fighters literally stopped to get signs from me. Jeff’s life mattered and the TN House of Representatives will greatly miss him!” Faison wrote.
The Tennessee GOP released this statement regarding Burkhart’s passing.
“Rep. Burkhart’s life of public service—from his years with the Clarksville Fire Department and his time on the Clarksville City Council to his work in the General Assembly—reflected his unwavering commitment to community, faith, and the values that bring Tennesseans together. His leadership on infrastructure improvements, education, public safety, and support for working families will leave a lasting impact on our state,” the group added.
They continued, “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and all who loved and served alongside him. We offer our deepest condolences as they navigate this immeasurable loss.”
The Tennessee House Democrats also released a statement on his death.
“We’ve lost a beloved member of our legislative family,” said Caucus Chairman John Ray Clemmons. “On behalf of the entire House Democratic Caucus, I extend our heartfelt, sincere condolences and prayers to Rep. Jeff Burkhart’s family, friends, and loved ones. Rep. Burkhart was an exemplary public servant and champion for the families of Montgomery County. He touched many lives with his service and will be dearly missed by all in our State Capitol.”
Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) called Burkhart a “high-quality man” in an online statement.
“We are deeply saddened on the sudden passing of Representative Jeff Burkhart. He was a high quality man that put community and service above self. He will be missed dearly here on earth, we take peace knowing he is being welcomed into God’s eternal home,” Sexton wrote.
Rep. William Lamberth (R-Portland) called Burkhart a “good friend” and called for prayers for his family.
“Today I lost a good friend and Tennessee lost a phenomenal public servant. Representative Jeff Burkhart passed away at home this morning and will be deeply missed by us all. Jeff was simply a solid guy who got along with everyone and served his community with distinction. Please pray for his family and the entire Montgomery County community,” Lamberth said.
