William H. McAllister III

McALLISTER

WILLIAM H. McALLISTER III

William H. "Buddy" McAllister III of Fairfax VA succumbed to complications of Covid pneumonia May 1, 2023 at the age of 81, surrounded by his family. He was born in Durham, NC to Dorothy T. and William H. McAllister Jr. He was raised in the nearby town of Pittsboro, NC along with his sister Margaret and brother Michael. It was in Pittsboro where he discovered his lifelong fascination with the Postal Service, often visiting the local Post Office to observe the sorting of the daily mail. Later in life, he wrote of his hometown post office, "The mail doesn't come to most residents of Pittsboro. They go to the mail". He was a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina receiving both Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees. A lifelong journalist, he found his vocation early in life when his Aunt Margaret gave him a toy printing press. He worked for The Washington Post from 1975 to 1999. He served as a reporter on the Virginia staff, became Virginia Editor on the Metro desk, and was promoted to the National Desk as a general assignment reporter. As a reporter he covered the Reagan White House, The Department of Veteran's Affairs and the Postal Service. He was a mentor to young writers in the craft of reporting and writing and cherished his newsroom relationships throughout his life. Prior to the Post, he worked at the Virginian Pilot and the Wall Street Journal. He also served in the US Naval Reserves as a Public Affairs Officer, rising to the rank of Captain in 26 years of service. After retirement, he continued to write for Linn's Stamp News, continuing his lifelong love of the Postal Service and stamps. He is survived by his wife of 57 years Polly F. McAllister (nee) Farrell; his sons William H. IV (Kathryn), Christopher F. (Leah), Jonathan T. (Karen) and Benjamin J. (Eliza); and seven beloved grandchildren.



A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 6 at Providence Presbyterian Church, 9019 Little River Turnpike Fairfax, VA 22031. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society or Habitat for Humanity.