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.

• San Juan Dunbar ’60

  Deceased date: April 24, 2015
  PORTLAND & Miami Beach, Fla. - Captain San Juan Dunbar, 78, of Portland and Miami Beach, Fla., passed away on Fr…read more

• John A. Bouchard ’44

  Deceased date: April 19, 2015
  OLD TOWN - John A. Bouchard, 90, a loving husband and father, passed away peacefully on April 19, following a long illness. He was born in Old Town on May 18, 1924, the youngest child of John B. and Henedine (St. Pierre) Bouchard. John graduated from Old…read more

• Bennett Norton, Jr. ’43-2

  Deceased date: April 7, 2015
  STANDISH - Bennett Norton, Jr., age 90, died peacefully on April 7, 2015, at Mercy Hospital after a brief illness. He was born in Portland, on Sept. 28, 1924, the son of Bennett and Christine Norton, Sr. and graduated in 1942 from South Portland High Scho…read more

• Richard L. Vaughan ’45

  Deceased date: April 2, 2015
  BUXTON - Richard L. Vaughan, Sr., passed away on April 2, 2015 at The Gorham House. He was born and raised in Portland, Maine to Arthur B. and Evelyn (Leavitt) Vaughan, Richard attended Portland schools. He ran cross country at Deering High School, gradua…read more

• Charles R. Stevens ’46

  Deceased date: March 30, 2015

  OLD TOWN - Charles "Charlie" Richard Stevens, 88, died March 30, 2015, at a Bangor hospital. He was born November 11, 1926, in Calais, a son of Charles A and Maude (Wentworth) Stevens.

  Ch…read more

• Lewis A. Crowell ’46

  Deceased date: March 9, 2015

  BANGOR - Lewis Atwood Crowell, husband of the late Julia "Julie" (Thompson) Crowell, passed away on March, 9, 2015. He was born 11 May 1926, in Bangor, the son of Frances (Atwood) and F. Donald Crowell.

  A graduate of C…read more

• Douglas W. Curtis Sr. ’47

  Deceased date: March 9, 2015

  ROCKLAND — Retired U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Douglas W. Curtis Sr., 87, died March 9, 2015, at Windward Gardens in Camden, following a period of declining health.

  Born in Rockland on March 17, 1927, he was the son of Ervin…read more

• Ernest G. Eaton ’54

  Deceased date: February 28, 2015
  DURHAM - Ernest George Eaton, 82, former resident of Eliot, Maine, and Lebanon, N.H., passed away on Feb. 28, 2015, at Spruce Wood in Durham. His wife of 60 years, Mary Louise Eaton (Mary Lou Walsh), was at his side. He was born in Windsor, Vt., on July …read more

• Christopher C. Wheeler ’97

  Deceased date: February 17, 2015
  Christopher C. Wheeler Sr., 48, of Lisbon passed away Feb. 17, 2015 at CMMC from injuries sustained in an automobile accident with his loving family at his side. Chris was born in Boothbay Harbor on September 22, 1966, a son of Robert and Patricia (Chase…read more

• Reginald A. Ferran ’74

  Deceased date: February 3, 2015
  WATERVILLE - Reginald Albert Ferran, of 7 John Ave., passed away on Feb. 3, 2015, at his home with family around him. He was the son of Albert Ferran and Theresa (Reny) Ferran and was born in Waterville, on Aug. 4, 1952. He graduated from Winslow High Sch…read more