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.

• Albert V. Werner III ’68

  Deceased date: November 25, 2017
  Albert Vincent "Skip" Werner III, 72, passed away at his home on Nov. 25, 2017. On May 11, 1945, a record-setting snowstorm announced the birth of a strikingly extraordinary man, son of the late Albert and Kathleen (Slattery) Werner. At age 7, Skip recei…read more

• Carlton F. Edgecomb ’73

  Deceased date: November 14, 2017
  Carlton 'Carl' Fuller Edgecomb, 67, passed away on November 14, 2017, at home, with his family by his side, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born in Bangor, on June 25, 1950, son of Walter C. and Mary (Ranney) Edgecomb, Sr. Carlton was a gr…read more

• Robert B. Rhoads ’45

  Deceased date: November 2, 2017
  OLD TOWN - Robert B. Rhoads, 92, passed away November 2, 2017, at his home, surrounded by his family. He was born in Portland, July 24, 1925, the son of Michael Loving Rhoads and Cornelia Elizabeth (King) Rhoads. Bob lost his parents at the age of 17 an…read more

• William C. Pollard ’66

  Deceased date: October 30, 2017
  YARMOUTH - William Curtis "Bill" Pollard, 74, passed away peacefully Oct. 30, 2017, at his residence. Bill was born in Portland on Oct. 1, 1943, the son of Althea Curtis, of West Paris, and Joseph Edwin Pollard, of Norwich, Conn. He grew up on Greenway …read more

• West N. Ruroede ’83

  Deceased date: October 21, 2017
  Longtime Greenport resident West Needham Ruroede died Oct. 21. He was 58.  The son of Vance A. Wilson and Carol J. (Needham) Ruroede, he was born March 31, 1959, in San Francisco. Mr. Ruroede graduated from Greenport High S…read more

• Scott A. Kilian ’10

  Deceased date: October 15, 2017
  Scott Andrew Kilian, 29, of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, husband of Sondra Skipper Kilian, died suddenly at home on Sunday, October 15, 2017. Scott was born October 29, 1987 in Morristown, New Jersey, son of Ann McCreary Kilian and the late Mark H. Ki…read more

• Richard S. Morris ’67

  Deceased date: October 11, 2017
  Richard “Dick” S. Morris Sr., of Westport Island, Maine, passed away with his family by his side, on October 11, 2017. He was born in Bath on April 27, 1944, a son of A. Stanley and Marjolaine Morris. Dick was originally from Wiscasset, Maine and grad…read more

• Richard L. Renner ’56

  Deceased date: October 9, 2017
  Richard Lee Renner, 82, of 510 East Water St., Smethport, passed away Monday, Oct. 9, 2017 at his residence.

  Born in Bainbridge, N.Y., on Aug. 8, 1935, he was a son of the late Allen and Dorothy Dick Renner. Mr. Renn…read more

• Peter H. O’Meara ’69

  Deceased date: September 27, 2017
  Peter H. O'Meara passed away September 27, 2017, at his home with his family by his side. He was born December 17, 1946 in Bayreuth, Germany, the son of David and Lieselotte O'Meara. He graduated from Maine Maritime Academy in 1969 with a Bachelor's Degr…read more

• Lester R. Smallidge ’57

  Deceased date: September 24, 2017
  Lester Ralph Smallidge, 81, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday evening, Sept. 24, 2017, surrounded by his family. Lester was born in Somesville on Feb. 17, 1936, to Lewis and Mazie (Brown) Smallidge. Lester grew up on Mount Desert Island with his si…read more