Miriam A. Paulus

Miriam A. Paulus passed away peacefully on April 25, 2025, at the age of 93.

She was a long-time resident of Norman and one of the former owners of Master Tech Auto Service, Inc. at 24th and Main for 30 years.

Miriam was preceded in death by her son Gene in 2020 and her husband, Edwin, on September 8, 2022, her brothers Edwin D. Nickol, Van Nickol, sisters Margie Nickol (in infancy) and Myrna Gehle Gigandet, brothers and their spouses Fred and Iris Nickol, John and Ramona Nickol, Neil and Peggy Nickol; brothers-in-law Delaine Gehle and Norman Gigandet, sisters-in-law Jean Miller Nickol, Hazel Nickol and Delia Nickol.

She is survived by her children, John Paulus and Christine (Skip) Engel, of Tucson, Arizona and Gayle (Gilbert) Held of Norman as well as daughter-in-law, Debra Paulus, of Norman. Also surviving are three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, brother Ramon (Rosie) Nickol of Versailles, Ohio as well as sister-in-law Marie Nickol of Tucson, Arizona and numerous nieces and nephews to whom she was known as “Aunt Mimi”, including Mary Cruz Brown of San Diego, California and David (Sue) Nickol of Tucson.

Miriam was the third of nine children of Edwin Henry Nickol and Mary Printz Nickol. She was born in Versailles, Ohio and attended Versailles Village Schools, graduating in 1949. She helped her mother raise her younger siblings so her mother could work as her father suffered from tuberculosis. To help her family make ends meet, she worked as an operator at the local telephone company. She often recounted the story of how she used her paycheck to buy real butter because she couldn’t abide the yellow powdered food coloring and white oleo that folks used during World War II. This was a recurring theme throughout Miriam’s life – that her family have the best that she could afford.

She married Edwin Paulus on February 11, 1950 at St. Denis Catholic Church in Versailles. Miriam was a fastidious homemaker and excellent seamstress. She made her daughters’ clothes until they were in high school. She often purchased distressed furniture items at farm auctions and refinished them into lovely pieces, some of which she still owned at her death. When Ed founded a transmission shop in Versailles, Miriam often ran parts at various stores in small towns near Versailles.

Miriam and Ed moved to Tucson, Arizona in 1965, traveling Route 66 in a 1956 Buick with their four kids, a dog and a cat. Ed was the service manager of a large Chevrolet dealership for a number of years. Miriam eventually was employed at the dealership as the office manager. They relocated to Norman in 1982 and, along with their son Gene, founded Master Tech Auto Service, Inc. in 1991. They retired in 2020.

Miriam was an avid collector of beautiful glassware including lamps, dishes and decorative bowls. She collected chickens of all materials. It was easy to find a Christmas or birthday gift – all one had to do was find something featuring a chicken. One of her great granddaughters once counted 387 chickens in Miriam’s house.

The family wishes to thank the numerous customers and friends who loyally patronized Master Tech Auto Services, Inc. for many years, as well as employees Scot Miller and Dave Gragg who were always helpful and supportive of Ed, Miriam and Gene. The family also wishes to thank the current and former employees of Banc First, particularly Debbie Barnhill, and the compassionate staff of Luxe Life Norman with special thanks to Rachel.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church of Norman or the Alzheimer’s Association in Norman.  Condolences may be posted online or sent to Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Held, 1201 Camden Way, Norman, 73069.