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.

• James A. Deering ’92

  Deceased date: January 24, 2021
  James Alan Deering, 50, passed away on Friday, January 24, 2020 at St. Joseph's Hospital after a long illness. James was born in Bossier City, Louisiana, son of Colonel and Mrs. Philip Deering. He graduated from Fork Union Military Academy in Fork Unio…read more

• Frederick B. Jensen ’65

  Deceased date: January 24, 2021
  FALMOUTH – Frederick “Fred” Barbrick Jensen, 78, passed away in Portland on Jan. 24, 2021, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. The son of Frederick Boe, and Christine Nona (Gorwood) Jensen, he was born in Portland on June 30, 1942. Fr…read more

• Dmitry N. Setrakov ’17

  Deceased date: January 11, 2021
  Dmitry Setrakov passed away on January 11th (the day of angels) at the age of 32. He was surrounded by family, and passed in a peaceful and painless way. He put up one he…read more

• Capt. G. Douglas Ferguson ’62

  Deceased date: January 10, 2021
  On Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021, Captain Gordon Douglas Ferguson passed away at the age of 79. Doug Ferguson was born in Buffalo, N.Y. on Oct. 29, 1941 to his father, Gordon Samuel Ferguson, and his mother, Barbara Halcrow Ferguson, now deceased. His childhoo…read more

• Frederick A. Ganter ’51

  Deceased date: January 3, 2021
  Frederick Albin Ganter passed away on January 3rd, 2021 in Hampstead, North Carolina, surrounded by his loving family. He was 91 years old. Mr. Ganter, who was known as “Fred”, was born on June 13, 1929, the son of Wilhelmina (Issler) and Frederick…read more

• Robert J. Hill ’69

  Deceased date: January 1, 2021
  HAMPTON, N.H. – Robert J. Hill, 73, of Hampton, former longtime resident of Stratham, died peacefully on Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. He was born in Derby, Conn. on Sept. 21, 1947, a son of the late Toivo J. and Mary (Mawhinney) Hill. He was the second olde…read more

• Stephen A. Herring ’61

  Deceased date: December 31, 2020
  Stephen A. Herring was born September 11, 1937 and passed away December 31, 2020. He was married to Paulena Scarborough Herring, who passed in 1990. He had two daughters, Stephanie Davison and Mitzi Herring.…read more

• James E. Hayden, Sr. ’68

  Deceased date: December 27, 2020
  ISLESBORO — James Edward Hayden Sr. died Dec. 27, 2020, as a result of heart failure. Born in Rumford Aug. 31, 1946, he was the only son of the late Frederick G. Hayden and the late Althea (Brown) Hayden. James graduated in the class of 1964 from Mexic…read more

• Richard F. Sullivan ’66

  Deceased date: December 25, 2020
  Richard F. Sullivan, age 76, husband of Jean (Allen) Sullivan, of Oaks, PA, passed away on Friday, December 25, 2020 at home. Born on August 1, 1944 in Portland, ME, and growing up on the Eastern Promenade of Portland, he was a son of the late Francis T. …read more

• Lorimer J. Trafton ’43-2

  Deceased date: December 14, 2020

  GARDINER, MAINE—On Monday, December 14,2020, our dearly loved father and grandfather Doc Trafton, 96, passed away peacefully at his last home, the Balsam House, in Readfield, Maine. Doc was the first of three sons born to Lorimer …read more