Earl J. Kerns

Stevens County Sheriff's Office — Hugoton, KS

Cardiac

End of Watch December 13, 1949

The Vigil Panel 86 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Sheriff Earl Kerns suffered a fatal heart attack after being punched in the chest while attempting to arrest a man for public drunkenness.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-KS-DAEFEB91
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Earl. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sheriff Kerns served with the Stevens County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Hugoton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Kerns.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Stevens County Sheriff's Office

Location Hugoton, KS

Platform Identity scso.stevens.ks.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 13, 1949

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Sheriff Earl J. Kerns is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In KS, 15 of 335 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 4.5% of this state's fallen. That is 0.5 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.

At Stevens County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 5 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 20% of this agency's fallen.

Stevens County Sheriff's Office

of 5 officers

20% Cardiac

KS — Statewide

of 335 officers

4.5% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac