Wally Funk, an aviation pioneer and the oldest woman to travel into space, died Wednesday at her home in Grapevine, Texas. She was 87.
Funk's death was announced by Grapevine City Councilwoman Duff O’Dell, who served as Funk's caregiver. O'Dell stated that Funk had recently experienced falls and suffered from a leg infection, which ultimately took its toll.
Funk was among 13 female pilots who underwent astronaut training and testing in the early 1960s as part of the Mercury 13 program. Despite passing the same rigorous assessments as NASA's male astronaut candidates, these women were not permitted to join the space program.
Funk's lifelong ambition to reach space was fulfilled in July 2021, when she flew aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket. At 82, she became the oldest person to travel to space at that time, a record later surpassed by William Shatner and Ed Dwight. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos invited Funk as an "honored guest" for the suborbital flight.
Blue Origin recognized Funk as a "pioneer in every sense of the word" and expressed humility in being part of her journey.
O'Dell described Funk as an "eternally optimistic person" who faced numerous rejections from men who told her she could not achieve her goals. Funk's response, O'Dell noted, was not anger but increased determination.
Beyond her spaceflight, Funk had a distinguished career. She was the first female inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration and the first female air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board, according to the City of Grapevine. Her perseverance and passion for flight were celebrated by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, who stated that Funk's "passion for flight, perseverance, and love of exploration will continue to inspire generations of Americans."