Paul Mazur

Paul Joseph Mazur, Jr. April 14, 1951 - September 19, 2025 On September 19, 2025, Paul Joseph Mazur, Jr., suddenly passed from this earth. If Paul were here to help us with this obituary (although, he may not even have wanted one), he would definitely say things differently, like “Don’t come see me when I’m dead”! Nonetheless, Paul honored the memories of those that passed before us. So, we move on and do our best to tell Paul’s story because it’s important and it will leave us with something to think about and even laugh about, the way he would have wanted it. Paul was born in San Angelo, Texas. After his birth, his older sister and younger siblings observed how he lived his life being the second oldest in the family. Paul was a surrogate father and did everything in his power to take care of and protect his siblings although he was a mere child himself. And now, the rest of the story… First, Paul was a very intelligent man who was very well read and who appreciated the value of education in our lives. He would read many books over and again on most any topic. After 9th grade he went to Reagan High School where he advised teachers of incorrect teaching content. As you can imagine, this did not make him a popular person. Eventually, and in part due to his long hair, he was considered a “subversive” and was not wanted at the school. No matter. He went from 9th grade to the University of Houston to study architecture. Second, Paul was a very creative person who wrote thought-provoking poetry and other forms of expression. He loved music including The Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters, Lighting Hopkins, and really enjoyed listening to Sunday blues music on KPFT. He was also a self-taught, sand painter and his artwork was inspired by American indigenous people. He studied the culture and the methods of sand painting that were created by the Navajo. He custom-mixed sand to create colors that were local colors on tribal lands. Paul once said, “My concepts and work are based on materials I have studied about Native Americans. In my work I wish to recognize not just the Navajo nation but all Native Americans and their heritage. I’m not a cultural anthropologist nor do I pretend to be. I see myself not as an artist but as a person that wishes to help carry on the Native American culture and to help the efforts of Will Evans, Eloise Hart, Hosteen Klah and Mary Cabot Wheelwright and many others that I don’t know about.” Third, Paul loved people - he was interested in them. He would bake cookies for everyone that needed a treat for the day, including those from other countries that stopped by his home at 4820 Eli/Houston. He was the only one in our family who traveled to the “old” country where our families of origin were from: Czechoslovakia and Poland. He was especially interested in improving the minds of children. At the beginning of each school year, he was known to purchase school supplies for needy students even though it meant that he would do without. Fourth, Paul always had a spirited opinion about almost any topic. Whether it was politics, religion, philosophy, plants, housing, cultures, Paul had an opinion regarding just about anything that you wanted to talk about. Not only did he have an opinion, but he also made you THINK! He would challenge your thoughts and assumptions and then come back around to leave you on a cheerful note. Fifth, Paul was a philosopher, which always made for “interesting” conversations! Paul’s mother (Elizabeth Barbara Pacha), father (Paul Joseph Mazur, Sr.) and son, Anton Mazur, preceeded him in death. Paul had many aunts, uncles, cousins, other family members (both Polish and Czech) and many friends. His surviving siblings include Annette Mazur Zinn, Charles Mazur, Darlene Mazur Little, Elizabeth Mazur Rameriz, Karen Mazur Gonzales, Cynthia Mazur Schedrich, Alex Lance (Paul’s grandson), and Paul’s adopted “brother” Tim Zinn. Paul is also survived by his son, Sean Mazur and his wife, Casey, and their children (Paul’s grandchildren) Jeff and Cait (Cait is expecting Paul’s first great grandchild). Paul would leave us something to laugh about. His advice was “always keep humor in your life.”