William Fletcher, 73, philatelist in Lexington

By his own reckoning, William F. Fletcher had three careers; two were all about money and one was a labor of love: proprietor of the Battle Green Stamp Co. in Lexington.

''He helped people build their collections and was even an adviser to a mutual fund that was investing in stamps," Mark Fletcher of West Barnstable said yesterday of his father, 73, who died of heart failure Friday in Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis.

For 25 years, Mr. Fletcher operated his stamp shop on the second floor of a building in Lexington. He usually wore a tweed sports coat as he negotiated the sale and acquisition of rainbow-hued postage stamps from exotic locales.

''He was always honest and fair in his dealings," said his son. ''Maybe too fair -- I think he could have made a lot more money."

But he did make a lot of friends.

''He made a lasting impression on a lot of people," said his son.

When Mr. Fletcher retired in 1996, about 100 customers attended his retirement party in the Sheraton Hotel in Lexington.

Mr. Fletcher was born in Medford and grew up in Arlington. He learned his love of philately at the knees of his father, who was also a philatelist.

After graduating from Middlebury College, he served in the Army for several years.

He earned a master's degree in business administration at the University of Santa Clara in California while working for an electronic data processing business in San Francisco.

''He was in the data processing early," said his son, ''when it took a computer the size of a room just to do the payroll."

But he soon tired of the corporate rat race and began looking for a business that would allow him the independence he was seeking. The stamp business was the logical choice.

His third career was investing during his retirement.

In addition to his son, he leaves his wife, Alma D. (Astley) of Osterville; and three grandchildren. He was predeceased by another son, Andrew, who died of a heart attack in 2001.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. today in West Parish Meeting House in West Barnstable. Burial will be in Crocker Park Cemetery in Barnstable.