Lt. Col. John Harrison Armistead, U.S. Air Force (ret.), of Alexandria, Virginia, passed away on September 10, 2026. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Nancy Armistead.

He is survived by his daughter, Leslie Oberhuber (Nick) of Summit, New Jersey; his grandchildren, Eva and Vaughn; his stepchildren, Jennifer Gritter (Todd), Patrick Allen (Amy), and Chris Allen (Misty); his grandchildren, Aryn Gilmore (Jordan), Alyson Beal (Matt), Faith Fralick (Josh) and Tristan Allen; several great-grandchildren; his sister, Mary Alice Hudgins (C.W.) of Mathews, Virginia; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

John was born in 1943 in Norfolk, Virginia, to John Armistead Sr. and Alice Armistead. A graduate of Mathews High School, he earned his undergraduate degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, where he participated in ROTC, and later earned a master’s degree in civil engineering from Central Michigan University.

During his career in the U.S. Air Force, Lt. Col. Armistead served in Vietnam and completed tours of duty in Guam, Germany and Taiwan, where he was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal for meritorious service. He served an additional 25 years in the Air Force Reserve. After retiring from military service, he worked as a principal manager overseeing the relocation of INSCOM HQ facilities at Fort Belvoir, and he earned the Albert W. Small Award in recognition of his exceptional contributions. He later worked for the U.S. Army at the Pentagon, where he oversaw numerous civil engineering projects.

John was an avid golfer and gardener and a devoted fan of the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Lt. Col. Armistead will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. A memorial service will be held on October 24, 2026 at 11 a.m. at Virginia Hills Baptist Church in Alexandria, where he served as a deacon and a trustee. Details for his memorial service can be found at www.jeffersonfuneralchapel.com.

Memorial contributions may be made to John’s treasured Huntley Meadows Park at www.fairfaxparkfoundation.org or your favorite charity.