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Eight Bells

The practice of using bells stems from the days of the sailing ships. 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.

The tradition of Eight Bells pays respect to deceased mariners and signifies that a sailor's “watch” is over.

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.

  • Alan B. Rich ’44

    Deceased date: February 25, 2019
    Alan Rich slipped his mooring and left us on Feb. 25, 2019, marking the end of a remarkable life. Born in Portland on Nov. 21, 1924, he was the youngest of the three children of Ralph and Myra Rich. He attended local schools and left Deering High School i…read more

  • Clifford R. Cameron, Sr. ’49

    Deceased date: February 11, 2019
    Clifford Richards Cameron, Sr., passed away February 11, 2019. Born in Rockland, Maine on 23 March 1928 to Evelyn and Seymore Cameron, Cliff spent his boyhood days growing up with friends in the Midcoast. His early times were spent on the waters of Pen…read more

  • Michael G. Thorner ’60

    Deceased date: February 4, 2019
    Lieutenant Commander Michael Gordon Thorner, USN, Ret., 79, died February 4, 2019 in a local hospital. He was a native of Portsmouth, New Hampshire and a resident of Norfolk since 1975. He was preceded in death by his father, Francis Smith Thorner. Lie…read more

  • Earl C. Kidder ’46

    Deceased date: January 31, 2019
    AUBURN – Earl C. Kidder, 92, of Auburn passed away with his loving family by his side on Jan. 31, 2019. He was born on Aug. 3, 1926, in Mexico, Maine. A son of the late Elwood and Ethel (Andrews) Kidder. He was educated in Mexico schools and entered Ma…read more

  • Roger P. Ouellette ’54

    Deceased date: January 28, 2019
    It is with great sadness that the family of Roger P. Ouellette announce his passing on Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, at the age of 85. He was born in Biddeford on March 11, 1933, the son of Frank X. Ouellette and Lelia (Lapointe) Ouellette. He attended local …read more

  • Robert C. Ramsdell ’44

    Deceased date: January 20, 2019
    North Hampton - Dr. Robert Charles (Bob) Ramsdell, M.D., a longtime resident of Andover, MA and North Hampton, NH, died peacefully on January 20, 2019 at the age of 93. He was the husband of the late Margaret L. (Davidson) Ramsdell. Bob’s life was ma…read more

  • Walter K. Seman ’58

    Deceased date: January 5, 2019
    Walter Kiernan Seman, age 81, passed away quietly in Venice after battling a aggressive form of skin cancer (merkel cell carcinoma). For two years he endured the operations, trips to Moffitt Cancer Center, and local medical appointments with his customary…read more

  • Herbert M. Walling ’71, ’87

    Deceased date: December 22, 2018
    Herbert M. Walling of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, passed away on the 22nd day of December 2018 at University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. He was born on September 26, 1947 in Greene New York to Herbert and Marjorie (Kipp) Walling. He grew up in…read more

  • Thomas A. Farnsworth ’65

    Deceased date: December 21, 2018
    On December 21, 2018, Thomas “Toss” Farnsworth, loving husband and father of t…read more

  • Richard N. Drake, Jr. ’69

    Deceased date: December 11, 2018
    Richard N. Drake Jr., 74, of Cape Elizabeth, recently passed away. He was born in Winterport, Maine in November, 1944. He was a graduate of Maine Maritime Academy. He became a chief engineer and sailed on merchant ships throughout the world. He was a pass…read more