Suzanne Somers, long a fixture in the city, dies at her Palm Springs home at 76

Suzanne Somers, an actress, businesswoman, author, and alternative health advocate who maintained a home in Palm Springs since the late 1970s, passed away here Sunday at 76, just a day before her 77th birthday.

“Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15th,” longtime publicist R. Couri Hay wrote in a statement on behalf of the actress’ family. “She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years.”

“Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family,” the statement continued. “Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”

While she rose to fame after starring in “Three’s Company,” and later was featured in “Step by Step,” she will be remembered locally for her charitable contributions and love of the desert.

“I covered many, many events where she provided important star power — from the opening of the McCallum Theatre in 1988 through the Steve Chase Awards for the Desert AIDS Project, the Evenings Under the Stars for AAP-Food Samaritans, the Frank Sinatra Celebrity Invitational Gala for the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center, the Christmas Tree Lanes for ACT For MS,” wrote veteran entertainment writer Bruce Fessier on social media. “She was a staple of the desert philanthropy scene and offered to invest millions of dollars to renovate (but not restore) the Plaza Theater.”

She and her husband, Alan Hamel, owned an estate in the Mesa neighborhood of South Palm Springs for decades before downsizing and selling the property in 2021, moving to the Southridge neighborhood to maintain a connection to the city.

“A bright star in our city has left us, but we are forever thankful to Suzanne for always supporting Palm Springs and sharing her love for our uniquely special city with the world,” Palm Springs Mayor Grace Garner said in a statement released Sunday. “She was truly a part of the magic that makes Palm Springs like no place else and we will never forget her. On behalf of our residents, we send our deepest condolences to Suzanne’s husband Alan and her family.”

A private family burial is set to take place this week, with a memorial scheduled for November.

---