GRAPEVINE, Texas — Wally Funk, the pioneering pilot who broke barriers for women in aviation and became the oldest woman to travel into space, has died at the age of 87.
Funk died Wednesday at her apartment in an assisted living facility in Grapevine, Texas, according to Grapevine City Councilwoman Duff O’Dell, who also served as her caregiver. O’Dell said she was by Funk’s side when she died.
Funk had recently suffered several falls and developed a leg infection that contributed to her declining health, O’Dell said.
“It took its toll,” O’Dell said in a telephone interview.
Funk spent decades pursuing a dream that was repeatedly denied. In the early 1960s, she was one of the Mercury 13, a group of female pilots who completed the same demanding medical and physical tests as NASA’s male astronaut candidates. However, NASA never admitted the women into its astronaut program because women were excluded from serving as astronauts at the time.
That changed in 2021 when Amazon founder Jeff Bezos invited Funk to join Blue Origin’s first crewed spaceflight as an honored guest.
At 82, she became the oldest woman to travel into space during the suborbital flight from West Texas. She flew alongside Bezos and two other passengers. Her record was later surpassed by William Shatner and Ed Dwight, who each traveled to space at age 90.
Tributes honor an aviation trailblazer
Blue Origin paid tribute to Funk following news of her death, describing her as “a pioneer in every sense of the word.”
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“We were humbled to be part of her journey,” the company said in a post on X.
O’Dell remembered Funk as someone who refused to let rejection define her.
“She was told by many, many, many men, ‘No, you can’t do this. No, you can’t do that,'” O’Dell said. “And she never got mad about it. She just was more determined.”
A legacy that extended beyond space
Funk also achieved several historic milestones during her aviation career. She became the first female inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration and later the first female air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board, according to a biography released by the City of Grapevine.
Although she never flew as a NASA astronaut, Funk became a lasting symbol of determination and perseverance. Her eventual journey into space inspired generations of women interested in aviation, science and aerospace careers.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman also honored Funk in a post on X.
“Wally Funk never stopped believing that one day she would reach space,” Isaacman wrote. “Her passion for flight, perseverance, and love of exploration will continue to inspire generations of Americans. Godspeed, Wally.”
This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press.
Article Topics: Space Exploration | Aviation | Obituaries | NASA | Blue Origin | Women in STEM | Mercury 13
