Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Sonny Kuhar died as the result of complications after contracting COVID-19 while on duty at the Cambria County Human Services and 911 building in Ebensburg.
Deputy Kuhar had served in law enforcement for 60 years, starting in 1960. Prior to joining the Cambria County Sheriff's Office in the 1980s he had served with the Vintondale Borough Police Department, Nanty Glo Borough Police Department, and Blacklick Township Police Department.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Deputy Sheriff John J. "Sonny" Kuhar, Jr. died on November 28, 2020 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 79.
He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 2 at Cambria County Sheriff's Office.
Beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers across the country contracted COVID-19 in the course of their duties. While much of the nation sheltered at home, they kept answering calls, making arrests, transporting prisoners, and working face to face with the public. There was no distance to be had from the job.
Corrections officers were hit hardest. Confined facilities and large populations meant constant, close, unavoidable exposure.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, four children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-A8433447- 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.
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Tributes
The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Deputy Sheriff Kuhar gave the Cambria County Sheriff's Office 60 years.
Thank you for your service to the Ebensburg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Kuhar.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff John J. "Sonny" Kuhar, Jr. is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In PA, 121 of 1,261 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 9.6% of this state's fallen. That is 0.5 percentage points above the national rate of 9.1%.
At Cambria County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 2 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John J. "Sonny" Kuhar, Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How John J. "Sonny" Kuhar, Jr. Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. John J. "Sonny" Kuhar, Jr. is highlighted in Nov.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Cambria County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
