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.

• Capt. John W. Fairbanks ’52

  Deceased date: October 30, 2022
  On Sunday October 30, 2022, Capt. John Fairbanks, USN (ret.) peacefully passed away at the age of 90 while surrounded by family. John was born on November 21, 1931, and was raised in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. He graduated from Maine Maritime Academy (M…read more

• Wayne M. Soucy ’78

  Deceased date: October 25, 2022
  Wayne M. Soucy, 66, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, at Frisbie, Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NH. Born on February 13, 1956, in Rochester, NH, he was the son of Leo L. Soucy and Lillian (Dodier) Soucy. Wayne graduated from Noble H…read more

• Capt. Charles W. O’Reilly USN(Ret.) ’53

  Deceased date: October 22, 2022
  Captain Charles W. “Chuck” O’Reilly died peacefully at home, surrounded by family, on October 22, 2022. He was b…read more

• Albert P. Levesque ’67

  Deceased date: October 18, 2022
  Albert Philip Levesque passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on October 18, 2022, age 77 of Cherry Hill, NJ, born and raised in Waterville, ME.  Beloved husband of Pauline Levesque (nee Andersen).  Dear father of Peter, Christopher (Silvan…read more

• Michael A. Curran ’69

  Deceased date: October 7, 2022
  Michael "Mike" Andrew Curran, 75, passed away on October 7, 2022, in Bangor, ME after a brief battle with cancer. Michael was born September 27, 1947, in Bangor to the late Richard H. Curran and Elnora E. (Bickford) Curran Kingsbury. The eldest of eight …read more

• Thomas S. Wranosky ’88

  Deceased date: October 7, 2022
  On October 7, 2022, Thomas (Tom) Wranosky, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 56. He was born in Oconto Falls, Wis., on July 20, 1966, to Robert and Beverly Wranosky. After moving to Maine in 1981, Tom graduated from Winslow High School in 1984 and we…read more

• Capt. William F. Brennan ’43-2

  Deceased date: September 28, 2022
  Falmouth - William Francis Brennan, CDR, USN (Ret), passed away peacefully in the spiritual embrace of his family on September 28, 2022, after a long and full life. Bill, known by many as Captain "B," is the eldest of William and Mabel Brennan's four sons…read more

• Myron R. Sawyer ’51

  Deceased date: September 26, 2022
  Bob Sawyer passed away peacefully on September 26, 2022 at the age of 92. Myron Robert Sawyer was born to Walter Scott Sawyer and Catherine Mae Rollins of Portland, ME on June 22, 1930. He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years Lynn (Brown), by his…read more

• Kermit P. Allen ’49

  Deceased date: September 24, 2022
  Kermit Payson Allen, 94, died on September 24, 2022, in Northern Light Blue Hill Hospital. Born in Blue Hill, he was the eldest son of Roy P. and Eva (Smith) Allen, on December 22, 1927. He graduated from Gould Academy in 1945, and Maine Maritime Academy …read more

• Rene G. Gagne ’51

  Deceased date: September 24, 2022
  BIDDEFORD – Rene Girard Gagne, 92, died peacefully Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, at his home. He was born in Lynn, Mass. on Nov. 12, 1929, a son of Origene and Irene (St. Onge) Gagne, was educated at Biddeford schools and graduated from Maine Maritime Acade…read more