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.

• 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

• Phillip O. Riley ’49

  Deceased date: January 9, 2015
  Phillip Oren Riley, age 86, passed into the arms of His Savior Friday, January 9, 2014 at Bayhealth Kent General Hospital, Dover, DE. He was born September 17, 1928, in Dover, Ohio, the son of the late Richard M. and Phyllis Riley. At a young age his fami…read more

• Laurence E. Capen ’54

  Deceased date: January 5, 2015
  OLD TOWN - Laurence (Larry) E. Capen, son of Dorothy Fayle Capen and Percy Capen, was born on December 4, 1932 and died on Mon…read more

• Loring W. Small ’44

  Deceased date: December 23, 2014
  Loring W. “Bud” Small, 89, died Dec. 9, 2014, in a Bangor hospital. He was born Dec. 23, 1924, in Milbridge the son of Loring M. and Elva (Chipman) Small. He was a graduate of Ellsworth High School, Class of 1942 and Maine Maritime Academy in 1944. Bu…read more

• Thomas T. Bennett Jr. ’45

  Deceased date: December 20, 2014
  GORHAM - Thomas Thoburn Bennett Jr., died at Maine Medical Dec. 20, 2014, from cardiac arrest at the age of 88. He was born in Portland March 2, 1926, to Helen B. Curit and Thomas T. Bennett Sr. of Chebeague Island. Tom att…read more