John A. Severance, 79, of Malvern, a former newspaper advertising executive, died Friday, Sept. 18, at Lankenau Hospital of complications from a previous surgery.
Born in Berwyn, Mr. Severance was the son of Kathryn Holman Severance and Alexander Severance, basketball coach at Villanova University for 25 seasons and a justice of the peace in Berwyn. Such officials are now called district judges.