Suzanne Gossot

Born in 1943 in Allamps, Lorraine small village, near a crystal glassmaking. Having parents with lower earnings, Suzanne Gossot had an atypical life course.

After wiping the benches of the Petit Arbois orphanage in Nancy, those of the Castle of Aroué, which burned, then finally those of the boarding school of the college of Toul. Believing that she was sufficiently informed, she was only 14 when her father, forest owner, obliged her to cease her schooling to make her work with him in the family sawmill.

She remained two years and half there before escaping from it afterwards many tribulations - The Lumberjack (La Bûcheronne).

When she was 19, in 1962, Suzy married an engineer.The couple had four children.

Within the framework of her husband's work environment, in July 1968, the whole family went abroad: Eight years in Germany, three years on the Island of Java in Indonesia, in Salamanca in Spain, then in Punta Arenas in Patagonia in Southern Chile before crossing the Atacama desert to stop a few times in Arica in Northern Chile. They complete their journey in December 1982 after having spent three months in Algiers - Thanks to a Golden Sky (Grâce à un ciel d'or).

They returned to France. After having definitively unpacked their bags in the French Pays Basque in September 1983, her children having left the family nest, Suzy decided to have a professional activity again.

She became coordinator in an retirement home. Every afternoon she stimulated the memory of the elderly with mnemotechnics exercises and many songs of their youth. At the 2009 Book Exhibition in Brive la Gaillarde, the Minister for the Culture, Mr Frédéric Mitterrand bought the booklet Coordinator for elderly (Être animatrice pour personnes âgées).

Parallel to this activity, in 1988, she entered the very closed and exclusive men's world of English boxing (only fists).

She obtained the National Time clerk license and then, in 1995 the official BFR Meeting Deputy license (French federation of Boxing).

For over 22 years, she counted down the minutes of all the rounds, she weighed amateur and professional boxers. She made the decision throughout official galas. These gentlemen listened to her!

She ensured the Stopwatch, inter alia, during three World Championships two European Championships, broadcasted by French and foreign televisions.

Michel Acaries writes in foreword of her book devoted to the rules of the French federation of boxing: “… Suzy the high priestess of time… ”

Intrigued that an official woman occupied this position at the foot of the boxing rings, the journalist Philippe Bouvard interviewed her by phone on air during his live comedy show "Les Grosses Têtes" on national radio RTL - Stopwatch… Get set? Boxing… (Chrono... Prêt ? Boxe...)

In September 2008, she was elected by the six presidents of the boxing clubs in the department: “president of the departmental committee of the Atlantic Pyrenees”.

In 1999, she receives the bronze plate of the French federation of boxing.

In June 2009, Suzy received from the hands of the regional president of Aquitaine, Bruno Petracco, the silver plate of the French federation of boxing.

In January 2009, she is elected as member of the CDOS (olympic and sportsmen's departmental committee). She has been responsible for the certification commission of boxing clubs for their facilities to accomodate the disabled, in order to promote their sport and participation in the club activities along with the able-bodied sportsmen.

In 2004, Suzy joined a short story writers' circle founded by Claude Bourdel in Bayonne. A novel is: "Creating a short history, with few characters, whose fall is always unexpected compared to the text."

Very influenced by the ocean, Suzy gathers twenty illustrated novels in a collection - A few steps from the sea... (A quelques pas de la mer...).

A second collection published in July 2010, is written with Patrick Larriveau, also member of the short story writers' circle. A score of illustrated novels telling stories from elsewhere. Its title is: Voyages, voyages.

In May 2007, she took part in a symposium on “Sports and Literatures” organized by the president of the "Friends of the Lake" association in Hossegor, Eric Gildard. This association brought together poets, painters, writers and lecturers. Suzy became a member.

Since there is no coincidence but appointments, twenty years after their first meeting, Suzy found Line Pierné, national vice-president, president for Aquitaine and president for Côte Basque of the “Women 3000” association, women of the 3rd millenium. She will step down from her position as Côte Basque president when she is elected as national president.

This federation gathers women to increase their participation in the public life (economical and social) to develop projects which makes their skills visible. 2nd Tuesday of each month different topics are treated. Women tell what has been exceptional in their life path.

Suzy became a member of this federation.

In 2008 she became co-chair of the "3000 Women" association in Côte Basque.

In 2009 she received the Palm of the Voluntary Help from the national president, Line Pierné.

Suzanne Gossot is her own attaché-press!

Her "pilgrim" bag full of books, she visits all the libraries and organizes autograph appointments in the bookshops and other places.

Newspaper articles and portraits of her appeared in various local newspapers and television like France 3 Aquitaine.