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.

• 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

• Robert B. Jones ’66

  Deceased date: December 18, 2014
  Robert "Bruce" Jones, 71, died on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2014 in Augusta after a lengthy illness. He was born in Waterville on May 14, 1943 to Doris Willette Jones and Robert Buck Jones who predecease him along with hi…read more

• Kent Chesley Chase ’84

  Deceased date: December 11, 2014
  Kent C. Chase 53, died Thursday, Dec. 11, 2014, at his home in Kingfield. He was born July 16, 1961, in Farmington to Lendell and Eunice (Pinkham) Chase. Kent grew up in Kingfield and attended local schools graduating from Mt. Abram High School with the c…read more

• John M. Ross ’54

  Deceased date: December 4, 2014
  John Mason Ross, 81 of Lynnfield, died December 8 in Melrose after a long period of failing health. He was born in Bangor, Maine on October 26, 1933 and was the son of the late Harry F. and Margaret (Mason) Ross. Mr. Ross was raised and Bangor and al…read more

• Terry G. Favreau ’69

  Deceased date: November 20, 2014
  BRUNSWICK — Terry G. Favreau, 69, of Oak Ridge Road, died Nov. 20 at his home, with his wife and family by his side.Favreau was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Jan. 21,1945, to Fernand and Eleanor (Bam…read more

• Lawrence R. Beal ’65

  Deceased date: November 14, 2014
  North Port, FL, and Tenants Harbor, ME - Lawrence R Beal, 71, died at home in Florida on November 11, 2014, following an …read more

• Larry A. Doyle ’72

  Deceased date: November 1, 2014
  Capt. Larry A. Doyle, age 64, passed with his loving family at his side at the Moffitt Cancer Research Center in Tampa, FL. on November 1, 2014. Larry was the son of Archie and Lois Doyle of South Portland, ME and was born on April 25^th, 1950. …read more

• William H. Kelley ’59

  Deceased date: October 27, 2014
  Captain William H. Kelley, 79, of Marblehead, MA and Palm Beach, FL, passed away at Salem Hospital on October 27, 2014. He was the beloved husband of the late Marie "Mayo" (Audet) Kelley. Born in Marblehead, he was the son of the late Morris and Harriet (…read more