Eight Bells
of London agent and a certified marine surveyor.
ships in and out of the harbor. He served as
Throughout his life, Bil served others in various
President or Treasurer of the Pilots Association
capacities: member of the Portland Rotary Club,
for most of his time as a pilot. He renewed his
president and treasurer of the Portland Marine
USCG Master of Al Seas license twelve times, a
Society, member of the Board of Directors of the
noteworthy achievement. In 1969, he designed
Maine Maritime Academy Alumni Association,
Portland's first steel pilot vessel. For many years,
among other museums and societies. He was
he served as the Maine Trustee to the American
supported in al his activities by his wife of 60
Pilots Association in Washington, D.C. He was
years, Rho. Donations in memory of Bil may be
devoted to MMA and was the president of the
made to Maine Maritime Class of 1949 Memorial
Alumni Association and served on various Acad-
Scholarship Fund, Development office, Pleasant
emy and alumni boards. He was outstanding
St., Castine, Maine 04420 or visit http://maine-
Alumnus in 1974 and was placed on MMA's Wal
maritime.edu and click on Support MMA.
of Honor. He established the Captain Granville I.
Smith Regimental Scholarship Fund in 1998 and
Jeffrey McMann '69
contributed generously to the fund over the years.
In 2005, the Academy named the bridge center
died July 12, 2015 in Wisconsin where he lived
in honor of Granville. Memorial donations may
near family. After spending 37 years at sea, he re-
be made in his memory to the Captain Granville
tired as a chief engineer. He had a vibrant love of
I. Smith Regimental Scholarship Fund, Develop-
life, the ocean, motorcycles, hunting, hiking, and
William "Bill" Leavitt '49
ment office, Maine Maritime Academy, Pleasant
his family and was wel known for his wonderful
Street, Castine, Maine 04420.
died in Maine in July, 2015. The ocean was an
laugh.
"indelible part of Bil 's life" (Portland Press Her-
ald obituary, July 22, 2015). Bil 's father, Ralph
Leavitt was a leader in the efforts to establish
Bruce R. Poliquin '72
Maine Maritime Academy, and Bil "inadver-
died in Maine on July 26, 2015. He and his wife
tently became a part of the opening ceremony of
lived in Auburn, Maine. "Bruce had a long and
the Academy" because "no one had a key to the
successful career as a Safety Engineer," principal-
Pentagoet, which was to be the dorm. Bil was
ly in "paper mil s, woodlot operations, and the
lifted to an open window to crawl in and open
construction" field. He worked for both oSHA
the front door so the ceremony could begin."
and his own company, Maine Safety Consultants.
Richard "Dick" Anzelc '51 recalled that Bill
Many people owe their safe working conditions
Family & Friends
was his company commander and was known
to programs Bruce developed and implemented
for his ability to get the cadets to do their duties
at their workplaces. (Pinette Dillingham & Lynch
without his having to harass them. "He always
Funeral Home obituary, July 27, 2015)
Franklin W. "Bill" Creighton,
provided a good role model for us," according to
professor of engineering at MMA for over 20
Dick, who added that he ended up for his first
Wayne C. Shaw '65
years, died September 23, 2015 in Maine. A
assignment on the same American Export Lines
graduate of Massachusetts Maritime Academy,
ship as Bil . Bil was 2nd mate and Dick was his
died in Maine on August 1, 2015. After gradu-
he served in the Coast Guard during WWII
3rd mate. Dick told the story that Bil talked them
ation from MMA, he went to sea working for
until 1953. Then he worked at Bath Iron
al into going ashore one night when the ship was
several shipping companies. In 1997, after a
Works in Bath, Maine, and Marine Colloids
in Istanbul. They ended up in a bar-like place
37-year career, he retired as a chief engineer from
in Rockland, Maine, before teaching at MMA.
that featured bel y dancing. While awaiting the
Waterman Steamship Corporation. Wayne spent
He was buried with military honors on octo-
main show, Bil got tired of listening to the music
his free time hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, and
ber 3, 2015.
and told the men that he was going to dance
logging. He and his wife also followed NASCAR
with a young lady he spotted across the dance
racing along the East coast.
Matthew Merfeld,
floor. He encouraged the others to choose a lady
professor emeritus of mathematics at MMA
and dance with her. Dick saw a candidate and
Granville I. "Pete" Smith '47
died September 28, 2015 in Maine. He served
started across the floor; however, halfway across,
crossed the bar September 19, 2015 in Maine.
two years in the U.S. Navy in the South Pacif-
the bel y dancer flashed onto the dance floor
He was a well-respected and well-known captain
ic. Matt earned his B.S. in fire protection and
and started dancing for Dick, who was caught
and harbor pilot. His widowed mother of five
safety engineering from Illinois Institute of
unawares. Natural y, the bel y dancer story was
put him on a bus from Albany to Boston and
Technology, and his master's degree and doc-
one of Bil 's sea stories that spread through the
Portland when he was 3 so he could live with his
torate in education from Rutgers University.
ranks. In 1953, Bil was called to active duty in
grandparents on a farm in Pittston, Maine. After
He first taught at Montclair State University
the U.S. Navy. After his service during the Korean
graduating from MMA, he sailed with Mobil oil
in New Jersey but in 1970 moved his family to
Conflict, Bil returned to Portland and joined his
Corporation aboard tankers until 1958 at which
Castine, Maine and joined the MMA faculty
father in the family shipping business ­ Chase
time he began his career with the Portland Pilots
to teach mathematics for 25 years.
Leavitt & Co. Bil represented Maine as a Lloyd's
Association. For over 43 years, Granville guided
mainemaritime.edu
43

---