eight bells
eight bells
assistant to the superintendent, director of development, director of
Cheever Lyden '44, retired podiatrist, died in Maine on July 16, placement, director of cadet shipping, first director of the Center for
2012. He was graduated in the third class of MMA, and served as Advanced Maritime Studies, and chair of the Development Council.
a merchant marine during WW II and as a navy lieutenant during Following his second retirement, he volunteered for SCORE and
the Korean Conflict. He practiced podiatric medicine for over 40 formed his own management consultant corporation. Throughout
years at his two offices in Brunswick and Portland. Once retired, he his life, he received innumerable awards in the Merchant Marine
spent his summers at his cottage in Pine Point, ME; and his winters and an outstanding professional achievement award from the US
in Naples, FL. where he was a regular volunteer for Habitat for Merchant Marine Academy. To the very end of his life at age 92,
Humanity.
he remained intellectually curious, an adventurous traveler, and a
George M. Marshall, Jr.,
man with a big heart. Memorial donations may be made to the
former special assistant to the
Maine Maritime Academy Student Scholarship Endowment Fund,
superintendent of MMA, died May
c/o Maine Maritime Academy Advancement Office, Pleasant Street,
7, 2012 in Maine. Inspired by his
Castine, ME 04420, in memory of Captain George M. Marshall.
sea captain grandfather, he went
to sea at 17. He served in the US
Richard Ericson, Vice President for Administration, Finance,
Merchant Marine during and after
and Governmental Relations, died July 15, 2012 in Maine. He
WW II, rising to US Coast Guard
served the academy for more than 23 years. Prior to his work at
Master. He was graduated from
MMA, he worked in the Budget Bureau for the State of Maine,
the US Merchant Marine Academy
which was an asset to the academy.
in 1942. At the age of 24, he was
appointed to first command of the
"Captain" Don Higgins earned his affectionate nickname of
SS Charles Carroll making him
"captain" while working aboard the TS State of Maine. He died in
one of the youngest shipmasters
July 2012. His death led Jesse McIntire '03 to write a dedication
in the Merchant Marine at the time. He transported munitions to Higgins. Below are some excerpts from McIntire's thoughts.
to Europe and once to Murmansk. Between 1946 and 1950, he
...I got a phone call that my good friend "Capt." Don Higgins had
continued to serve in the US Navy Reserves. After the war, he passed. "Captain" was an honorary title from his Navy days and
completed his undergraduate degree at New York University. As a years of service at Maine Maritime...I didn't meet Don till he must
businessman, he advanced to senior vice president of the Atlantic have been in his late 60s. Of course, there is a lot I didn't know
Mutual Insurance and Centennial Insurance Companies in charge about him before we met...I was assigned scullery duty ... Don was
of several international insurance operations. For six of these `Boss' over the scullery on the State of Maine. It's all stainless steel,
years, he was the CEO of the Union de Seguros, S.A., in Mexico hot and steamy. I was nineteen. I might have been hung over or the
City. After taking early retirement, he joined the staff of Maine heat just made me feel that way, when here came an old Irishman
Maritime Academy. During his ten years at MMA, he was special with a big face red as a fire hydrant, who started dressing me down.
55 MARINER / FALL 2012