The tradition of Eight Bells pays respect to deceased mariners and signifies that a sailor's “watch” is over.

The practice dates back to the days of the sailing ships, when sailors couldn't afford to have their own time pieces and relied on the ship's bells to tell time. The ship's boy kept time by using a half-hour glass. Each time the sand ran out, he would turn the glass over and ring the appropriate number of bells. Each ship “watch” is four hours, or eight bells, in length.

Submissions for Eight Bells

If you learn of the passing of a MMA classmate, associate, friend or family member, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations so that we may include the information in our Eight Bells listings. Send obituaries or their digital links to alumni@mma.edu.

• Matthew H. Grose ’82

  Deceased date: June 27, 2025
  Matthew Hunter Grose, 65, of Mornington, Australia, and formerly from Bath, Maine, passed away in Australia from complications with cancer on June 27, 2025. Matt was born in Bethesda, Maryland, on Dec. 14, 1959 to Wilbur H. Grose and Eileen R. (Brennan…read more

• Gordon M. Ward ’59

  Deceased date: June 14, 2025
  Gorham – Gordon M. Ward, a longtime resident of Gorham, passed away peacefully on June 14, 2025, at the age of 86. Gordon was born in Waterville, Maine on November 16, 1938, the beloved son of Esther and Malon Ward. His family moved to Portland where h…read more

• Capt. Donald V. Church ’55

  Deceased date: June 1, 2025
  Captain Donald Vernon Church, beloved father of three, grandfather of nine and great grandfather (aka Grumpa and Grumpy Winkle) of eight and a half passed away in his Bristol home on June 1, 2025 just a few days shy of his 91st birthday. We are certain th…read more

• Capt. Richard C. Holt, Sr. ’58

  Deceased date: May 23, 2025
  Captain Richard Curtis Holt, Sr, age 87, of Greenland, formerly a 50 year resident of Rye, passed away on May 23, 2025 at his home fol…read more

• Richard L. MacLean ’50

  Deceased date: May 22, 2025
  Richard MacLean, 95, of Forestdale, MA passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 22, 2025, after a brief illness. Born in Allston, MA, the oldest son of the late Horace and Eleanor (Lombard) MacLean of Allston. Rich graduated from Maine Maritime Academy …read more

• Capt. Jeffrey W. Monroe ’76

  Deceased date: May 13, 2025
  Jeffrey Wayne Monroe, 71, of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, husband of Linda Mallik Monroe, entered into eternal rest Tuesday, May 13, 2025.…read more

• Allen E. Huntley ’68

  Deceased date: May 3, 2025
  Allen E. Huntley, 78, passed away peacefully surrounded by family, on Saturday, May 3, 2025 at Pen Bay Hospital. He was born in Camden to the late George A. Huntley and Patricia A. (Allen) Huntley on June 20, 1946. Allen graduated from Rockland Distric…read more

• Wayne E. Nason ’70

  Deceased date: April 18, 2025
  Wayne E. Nason died on April 18, 2025 at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough, Maine. He was born in Biddeford, Maine, on…read more

• Leroy W. Philbrook ’57

  Deceased date: April 10, 2025
  Leroy “Roy” W. Philbrook, 90, of Thomaston, passed away peacefully at the Sussman House in Rockport on April 10, 2025. Born on February 18, 1935, in Stoneham, Massachusetts, Roy was the son of Ivan A. and Naida H. (Ainsworth) Philbrook. A 1954 graduat…read more

• David A. Holmes ’51

  Deceased date: April 10, 2025
  David Ashton Holmes passed away at his home on Vose Mountain in Kingfield, Maine, on April 10, 2025, at the age of 95. David was born in Stoneham, MA, on December 6, 1929, the son of Ashton B. Holmes and Alice A. Sheppard of Alstead, NH. He graduated from…read more