Suzanne Yvonne Bourdonnas Bonaly

Suzanne (Bourdonnas) Bonaly passed away peacefully on September 12, 2026, at Serenity Living in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was 82. Suzanne was known around the world for her gift of teaching sports and her steadfast mothering of her daughter, Surya Bonaly, the French figure skating champion, and Olympian.

Suzanne met the love of her life Georges at the age of 15 in the Rue Alsace Lorraine Quarter of Nice, France and they were married 5 years later, on July 4, 1964. They started their lives together in Villefranche-sur-Mer, France. As a young couple, they embraced a simple lifestyle and passionately supported Greenpeace and its efforts to protect the Earth and its oceans. They traveled frequently, often by van, living in the bohemian style they both loved. Their early travels took them to India, where their hearts were moved to adopt a baby girl that they dreamed of naming Surya, meaning "goddess of the sun" in Sanskrit, to represent the light and warmth the child would bring to their life. Although an adoption from India did not come to be, not long after their trip, they were divinely matched with their daughter, Surya, an infant girl from an orphanage in Nice.

Suzanne was first and foremost a wife and mother. She built her early career as a physical education teacher, first at the Les Palmiers in Nice and then at collège Paul-Langevin in Carros, in the hills above Nice, and after relocating to Paris, at the collège Albert-Schweitzer in Créteil, and at Louise Michel outside Paris. When Surya was just two years of age, Suzanne brought her to the ice rink in Nice, and it was there that her young daughter stepped onto the ice for the first time. That single day changed the trajectory of both their lives. Under Suzanne’s guidance, Surya became a ten-time French figure skating champion, a five-time European champion, a three-time World silver medalist, and a three-time Olympic competitor. When Surya parted ways with her primary skating coach, Suzanne stepped in and temporarily took over the job herself, with only a commitment to supporting her daughter.

Suzanne, however, was never solely a coach. She sewed Surya's costumes by hand, mounted her blades to her boots - even resourcefully wedging an old hotel key card under Surya's blades to keep them perfectly balanced, managed her schedule, and traveled with her to competitions across the world. Suzanne stood by Surya’s side on every continent at competitions, and those who knew them best would later say that she dedicated her life to being the pillar that supported Surya’s pursuit of world-class excellence in multiple sports. Suzanne had also enrolled Surya in gymnastics at the age of three, assisted in coaching her tumbling and even homeschooled her until the age of 13 so Surya could pursue her athletic training to the fullest, resulting in her becoming a World Junior Champion in tumbling.

Suzanne carried a genuine joie de vivre throughout her life. She loved to travel, enjoyed the natural world, kept an impressive garden, adored her dogs and cats, and remained unapologetically independent to the end. In her later years, she made her home in Las Vegas with Surya and enjoyed traveling to Minnesota to visit Surya after she relocated there to be with her fiancé, Peter Biver.

Suzanne is preceded in death by her parents Marcel and Raymonde Bourdonnas. She is survived by her daughter, Surya Bonaly; Surya's fiancé, Peter Biver; her estranged husband, Georges Bonaly, her aunt Solange Aouizerate (Roger), her two cousins Sandrine and Philippe and many beloved skating students and friends, across the world.

Suzanne’s legacy extends far beyond the medals, competitions, and accomplishments she helped make possible. At heart, she was a teacher, and teaching remained one of the great passions of her life. She had a natural desire to share what she knew, encourage others, and help people become the best versions of themselves. Whether someone was a longtime student or simply a person who crossed her path and needed guidance, Suzanne was always willing to offer her time, her knowledge, and her advice. She never needed to know someone well to want to help them. Her generosity of spirit, devotion to her family and students, and unwavering belief in the potential of others left an impact that reached far beyond the skating rink. Her lasting legacy lives on in Surya, in the countless students whose lives she touched, and in the many people around the world who were better for having known her.

A funeral will be held in Las Vegas at Palm Southwest Mortuary. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to Greenpeace, 1300 Eye Street NW, Suite 1100 East, Washington, DC 20005 or to Children International, a top-rated youth development organization, helping children break the cycle of poverty since 1936. Donor Address: P.O. Box 210513, Kansas City, MO 64121, U.S.A.

https://www.children.org/make-a-difference/donate#more-giving-options