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.

• David C. Witham ’62

  Deceased date: April 2, 2016
  David Chester Witham, 75, of Wakefield passed away on April 2, 2016 in a house fire while on vacation in the Bahamas. David was born on March 23, 1941 to Harvey and Myrtle (Anderson) Witham of North Providence, RI. He graduated from North Providence High…read more

• Fred J. Merrill ’43-2

  Deceased date: April 2, 2016
  SACO - Fred J. "Shag" Merrill, 93, of Saco, died peacefully at his home on April 2, 2016. Born on Nov. 10, 1922, the son of Fred and Ella (Ahern) Merrill, Fred was raised in South Portland. Jacqueline, his wife of 57 years, predeceased him in 2013. Fred l…read more

• Thomas C. Dever ’77

  Deceased date: April 2, 2016
  DANVERS AND PEABODY: Thomas C Dever, 61, of Danvers and formerly of Peabody, died unexpectedly on Saturday evening at the Beverly Hospital. He was the husband of Becka (Anastos) Dever. Born in Winthrop, he was the son of the late Clifford and Barbara (Ch…read more

• Patrick W. Fulton ’59

  Deceased date: March 31, 2016
  Countless superlatives have been used to describe Patrick Willson Fulton since he passed away on March 31st. Wonderful, remarkable, unequaled, and indomitable are just some of the words describing his character. As a husband, father, grandfather, friend, …read more

• Vincent L. Devlin ’73

  Deceased date: March 22, 2016
  Vincent Louis Devlin, 64, HOLLYWOOD, Fla. - Vincent Louis Devlin, 64, passed away unexpectedly on March 22, 2016, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He was born August 17, 1951, in Portland to Louis Owen and Ellen Corbett Devlin. Vincent grew up in Stanwood Park …read more

• Melissa A. Valliere ’01

  Deceased date: March 21, 2016
  BRUNSWICK, MAINE - Melissa passed away at the Bodwell Nursing &am…read more

• John J. Gabriel ’66

  Deceased date: March 19, 2016
  GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. - John Joseph Gabriel, resident of Green Valley, Ariz., passed away suddenly on March 19, 2016, at Green Valley Hospital. John was born on May 27, 1944, in Brooklyn, N.Y. He was raised on a farm in Troy, ME, by Alfred and Marion Gabrie…read more

• Robert W. Gilman, Jr. ’87

  Deceased date: March 18, 2016
  HOUSTON, Texas - On March 18, 2016, Robert W. Gilman Jr. was called to be with God in Heaven after complications from a health-related illness. Robb was a devoted husband, loving father, beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend to all who knew him, and th…read more

• Horace A. Record ’43-1

  Deceased date: March 10, 2016
  PORTLAND - Horace "Hod" Atwood Record passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 10, 2016, at the Cedars Skilled Care Center in Portland. He was born on Oct. 11, 1924, in Lewiston, the son of Elizabeth and Walter Record. He attended Buckfield schools and g…read more

• Chester I. Hopkins, III ’62

  Deceased date: March 10, 2016
  Capt. Chester “Chet” I. Hopkins, III, 75 of Damariscotta, passed away on the morning of March 10th, at the Maine Medical Center in Portland. Born on January 15, 1941 in Melrose, MA, he was the son of Mabel and Chester Hopkins, Jr. Chet grew up in Mas…read more