Veteran journalist William “Bill” McAllister, who served as Washington correspondent for many years for Linn’s Stamp News first and then also freelancing for Coin World, died May 1 in Fairfax, Virginia, from complications from COVID-19 related pneumonia. Mr. McAllister was 81.

A native of Durham, North Carolina, Mr. McAllister was raised in the nearby town of Pittsboro,  where he discovered his lifelong fascination with the United States Postal Service, often visiting the Pittsboro Post Office to observe the sorting of the daily mail.

Mr. McAllister was a graduate of the University of North Carolina where he earned Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees.

Mr. McAllister served on the editorial staff of 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, Mr. McAllister covered the Reagan White House, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. 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, Mr. McAllister worked at the Virginian Pilot and the Wall Street Journal.

He began contributing articles for the pages of Linn’s Stamp News sometime in the 1980s before being recognized in 1996 as Washington correspondent.

Mr. McAllister began writing articles for Coin World beginning in October 2003, primarily providing coverage of meetings involving coin and medal design reviews by both the Commission of Fine Arts and Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.

Mr. McAllister also served in the U.S. 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 and later, Coin World.

Mr. McAllister is survived by Polly, his wife of 57 years; sons William H. IV (Kathryn), Christopher F. (Leah), Jonathan T. (Karen), and Benjamin J. (Eliza); and seven grandchildren.

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