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.

• 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

• Francis W. Chase ’62

  Deceased date: January 22, 2015
  BRUNSWICK, ME –Francis Wayne Chase, 73, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family at Midcoast Hospital on January 22, 2015 following a short illness.  He was born on March 20, 1941 in Waterville, Maine the son of Carroll B. Chase and Evelyn (Bowm…read more

• Jack A. Howalt ’49

  Deceased date: January 19, 2015
  Jack Alwin Howalt, 86, passed away Monday, January 19, 2015, peacefully at Community Hospice. He had been challenged with a respiratory illness for the past year. Jack was born in Minneapolis in December 1928. His family moved to Jacksonville in the early…read more

• Thomas H. Smith ’67

  Deceased date: January 18, 2015
  KITTERY POINT, Maine - Captain Thomas H. Smith, 68, of Kittery Point, Maine passed away from his brave battle with Bladder cancer on January 18, 2015 at Wentworth Douglas Hospital. He was born in Methuen, Mass. on January 29,1946 and moved to Kittery Poin…read more

• Alan D. Cederstrom ’49

  Deceased date: January 10, 2015
  QUEENSBURY — Alan D. Cederstrom, 86, of Queensbury, passed away Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015, at Glens Falls Hospital, after a long illness. Born July 16, 1928, in Stoneham, Massachusetts, he was the son of the late Hjalmar and Levon (Payson) Cederstrom. A…read more