Nina 'Fran' Zlock Dies, Was Former Realtor And Newtown Business Owner

NEWTOWN, PA — Nina Frances Lybarger Zlock, 96, passed away on Monday, March 11, 2024, surrounded by her loving family.

Known by many as “Fran” and to family as mom, gram and great gram, she is survived by her brothers, William M. Lybarger (Jeri Moore) and John M Lyberger (Maureen), and her six sons, Evan P. Zlock Jr. (Jennifer), C Gilbert Zlock, Esq. (Beth), Douglas W Zlock, MD (Lorna), Jonathan L. Zlock (Dawn), Mark M. Zlock, Esq. (Judy) and Kevin M. Zlock, Esq. (Sima). She is also survived by 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Zlock is predeceased by her husband of more than 50 years, Evan Paul Zlock, who died in 2003; her sister Diana G. Lybarger, who died of polio in 1955; and her parents, William M. and Emelyn Gilbert Lybarger.

A longtime resident of Bucks County, Mrs. Zlock owned and operated several well-known and successful businesses, including Zlock & Key Realty from 1976 to 1981 and, along with her husband Evan, the Newtown Coin and Stamp Shop beginning in 1980, a staple on State Street for decades.

The pair operated two shops at the Golden Nugget Flea Market in Lambertville, N.J., from 1982 to 2002. The also sold antiques in Cape May at Congressional Hall and at Historic Cold Spring Village for more than 20 years.

After spending her earliest years in central Pennsylvania in Mifflinburg, Union County, the Lybargers settled on the New Jersey shore in Atlantic Highlands, where, during World War II, young Fran rode her bicycle everywhere, including to several restaurant jobs. There she was fed dinners and she would bring leftovers home to split among family members.

At Atlantic Highlands High School, Fran earned a free tennis membership by meticulously removing any and all crabgrass from the courts, thus cementing a lifelong love of tennis. She first began playing on her grandmother’s backyard court at age 7 and played her last set in 2008 at 80 years of age at the Neshaminy Tennis Club.

Upon graduation from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove in 1949, Mrs. Zlock began her career as a school teacher in rural Pennsylvania and later owned a small restaurant on Route 1 in Levitttown from 1966-1969. She also was a real estate broker from 1969-2008 and was a member of the Bucks County Board of Realtors, the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors.

Born in Sunbury, Mrs. Zlock joined the Daughters of the American Revolution at age 10. She was also a longtime member of the Lutheran Church of God’s Love in Newtown as well as the Neshaminy Tennis Club.

Fran met her husband, Evan, at Susquehanna University in 1946 when he returned home from the war. After dinner one evening , the Navy man and captain of the football team was playing ping-pong in the lower level of Seibert Hall. The two began battling each other every night and soon appeared in the school newspaper about “Ping Pong Lybarger and the Captain”.

The couple excelled at sports and were both members of the university’s Sports Hall of Fame. Fran, only the second woman inducted at the time, was an avid athlete, excelling in tennis, field hockey and softball.

She also loved to fish and bike. At family outings, Fran would always be up for a game of ping-pong, bocce ball or croquet. Her competitive spirit was unmatched.

Mrs. Zlock vacationed three times in Hawaii and climbed the 399 steps to the very top of Diamond Head three times, the last of which occurred when she was 76 years old.

In 1981, she was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame at Susquehanna University. In 2003, she was named to the All-Century Basketball Team at Susquehanna, celebrating 100 years of the sport. Ten years after that, at the age of 85, she was the first woman invited to join the Aging Athlete Club of Newtown in 2013.

In 2013, Nina Frances Zlock was the first female to receive the Newtown Aging Athlete award. Pictured, from left: Dennis O’Brien, Mark Zlock, Fran Zlock and Marty Sutton. (photo by Jack Erickson)

Mrs. Zlock would often say one of her special joys was taking care of her grandchildren. She would babysit, advocate and welcome them to stay when warranted. She was also very proud of her sons, five of whom were Eagle Scouts.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, March 23, 2024, from 2 p.m. until the start of her funeral service at 4 p.m. at the Lutheran Church of God’s Love at 791 Newtown-Yardley Road in Newtown, PA 18940. Her interment will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Wounded Warrior Project at P.O. Box 758516 in Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516 or at www.woundedwarriorproject.org or to the Lutheran Church of God’s Love, 791 Newtown-Yardley Road, Newtown 18940.