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.

• Stephen M. Levine ’64

  Deceased date: March 10, 2020
  Cmdr. Stephen M. Levine (retired, U.S. Coast Guard), died Tuesday, March 10, 2020, in Nashua, N.H. Stephen was born on May 10, 1942, in Portland, Maine, son of Arthur and Madeline (Brickman) Levine of Lewiston-Auburn, Maine. Stephen is survived by his …read more

• Thomas F. Joyce ’46

  Deceased date: March 2, 2020
  PORTLAND – Thomas F. Joyce, a merchant marine, Korean war veteran, and teacher, died on Feb. 25, 2020. He was 93 years old. He is survived by niece Ann Keniston and six nephews Martin, Richard, Thomas, Joseph, Peter, and Patrick Keniston. He was pred…read more

• Richard W. Merrill ’47

  Deceased date: February 19, 2020
  Richard "Dick" Woodbury Merrill, 92, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020 at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough, Maine. He was born in Gray, on April 27, 1927, the son of the late Ernest L. and Alice (Stanton) Merrill. After graduating f…read more

• William A. Lowell II ’56

  Deceased date: February 16, 2020
  William Alfred Lowell, 83, was born in the Parker Head Village in Phippsburg on Oct. 11, 1936 and passed away on Feb. 16, 2020. Bill was educated in Phippsburg, Bath and Maine Maritime Academy. After several years in the Merchant Marines he joined Bath I…read more

• Gerald E. Garthwaite ’80

  Deceased date: February 3, 2020
  Gerald "Jerry" Garthwaite, 69, passed away Feb. 3, 2020 at his home in Gorham, Maine. He was the beloved husband of Anne Quinncannon Garthwaite, his wife of 39 years. Jerry was born in Stamford, Conn., then moved to Wells, Maine where he attended high …read more

• William M. Martin ’66

  Deceased date: February 2, 2020
  William Michael Martin, 76. of Naples, Maine and formerly Langhorne, PA passed away unexpectedly at his winter home in Daytona Beach, FL on Sunday February 2, 2020. Bill was born in Portland, Maine and was a 1962 graduate of Cheverus High School, where…read more

• Donald L. Higgins ’50

  Deceased date: January 28, 2020
  Donald L. Higgins died Jan. 28 at his home and surrounded by his family. He was born in Ellsworth on Jan. 9, 1930. He was the son of Roger L. Higgins and Mildred Fullerton Higgins. He attended Ellsworth schools and graduated from Maine Maritime Academy in…read more

• Damon P. Rivard ’55

  Deceased date: January 18, 2020
  Damon P. Rivard, 87, of North Kingstown, R.I., died peacefully on Saturday, January 18, 2020. He was the loving life partner of Roberta Hale. Born in Somerset, Mass., he was a son of the late Roland Rivard and Mildred (Shannon) Rivard. Damon was an eng…read more

• Capt. Robert W. Powell, Jr. ’68

  Deceased date: January 4, 2020
  Robert "Rob" W. Powell Jr., 73, of Silverhill, Alabama, passed away suddenly on Jan. 4, 2020. Rob was born in Richmond, Virginia, but grew up in Sayville, New York, where he nurtured his love for sailing on the Great South Bay. A graduate of the Maine …read more

• Russell B. Bridgham ’51

  Deceased date: January 2, 2020
  CDR. Russell Benjamin Bridgham, (USN, Ret.), 89, of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, husband of the late Takae Tomohiro Bridgham entered into eternal rest Thursday, January 2, 2020. His Funeral service will be held in Arlington National Cemetery at a later…read more