Wally Funk, an aviation pioneer who became the oldest woman to travel to space, died Wednesday at her home in Grapevine, Texas. She was 87.
Funk had recently experienced falls and an infection, according to Grapevine City Councilwoman Duff O'Dell, who served as Funk's caregiver and was with her when she died.
Funk was among a group of 13 female pilots who, in the early 1960s, passed the same rigorous tests as NASA's male astronaut corps. Despite their qualifications, they were not selected for space missions at the time.
In 2021, at age 82, Funk finally traveled to space aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket, fulfilling a lifelong ambition. At the time, she was the oldest person to have flown into space, though that record has since been surpassed.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos invited Funk as an "honored guest" for the suborbital flight, which launched from West Texas. Blue Origin acknowledged Funk as "a pioneer in every sense of the word" and stated they were "humbled to be part of her journey."
O'Dell described Funk as an exceptionally optimistic individual who remained determined despite facing repeated obstacles and discouragement from men in the aviation industry.
Funk's career also included groundbreaking roles as the first female inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration and the first female air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board, according to city records.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson posted on X that Funk's "passion for flight, perseverance, and love of exploration will continue to inspire generations of Americans."