Wally Funk, an aviation pioneer who became the oldest woman to launch into space, has died at the age of 87. Funk passed away Wednesday at her apartment in an assisted living facility in Grapevine, Texas, a suburb of Dallas and Fort Worth, according to Grapevine City Councilwoman Duff O’Dell, who identified herself as Funk’s caregiver and was by her side at the time of death.
Health Struggles and Final Days
O’Dell said Funk had fallen a couple of times recently and developed an infection in her leg. “It took its toll,” O’Dell said in a phone interview. Funk was known for her indomitable spirit, but her health declined in her final weeks.
Pioneering Aviation Career and Mercury 13
In the early 1960s, Funk was one of 13 female pilots who underwent the same rigorous tests as NASA’s all-male astronaut corps as part of the Mercury 13 program. Despite passing the tests, they were denied the opportunity to become astronauts. Funk never gave up her dream of spaceflight.
She later became the first female inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration and the first female air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board, according to a biography released by the City of Grapevine.
Historic Blue Origin Flight in 2021
In 2021, at age 82, Funk finally reached space aboard Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket. Bezos chose her as an “honored guest” for the suborbital flight from West Texas, making her the oldest person to go into space at the time. The record was later surpassed by “Star Trek” actor William Shatner and Ed Dwight, America’s first Black astronaut candidate, both of whom flew at age 90.
Blue Origin posted on X, calling Funk a “pioneer in every sense of the word.” The post added, “We were humbled to be part of her journey.”
Legacy and Tributes
O’Dell described Funk as the “most eternally optimistic person” she had ever met. “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.”
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted on X: “Wally Funk never stopped believing that one day she would reach space. Her passion for flight, perseverance, and love of exploration will continue to inspire generations of Americans. Godspeed, Wally.”
