Wally Funk, the pioneering aviator who became the oldest woman to travel to space and was part of NASA’s groundbreaking 1961 Women in Space Program, has died at the age of 87.
The City of Grapevine, Texas, confirmed that Funk died at her home on Wednesday. In a statement, city officials described her as “a beloved Grapevine resident whose extraordinary accomplishments and generous spirit left an enduring legacy.”
Born on Feb. 1, 1939, Funk devoted her life to aviation, earning her pilot’s licence at just 17 after joining a women’s flying club at Stephens College. Although airlines refused to hire female pilots at the time, she went on to become the first woman to serve as a flight inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration and later the first female investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board.
In July 2021, at the age of 82, Funk fulfilled her lifelong dream of reaching space when she flew aboard Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin mission, becoming the oldest woman ever to make the journey.
Paying tribute to her legacy, the City of Grapevine said Funk “continues to serve as a global symbol of determination, perseverance, and excellence.”