Wally Funk, aviation pioneer who was the oldest lady to journey into area, dies at 87

GRAPEVINE, Texas — Wally Funk, an aviation pioneer who was the oldest lady to launch into area, has died. She was 87.

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Funk died Wednesday at her house in an assisted residing facility within the Dallas and Fort Worth suburb of Grapevine, Texas, Grapevine City Councilwoman Duff O’Dell mentioned Thursday.

O’Dell, who described herself as Funk’s caregiver, mentioned she was by Funk’s facet. Funk had fallen a few instances just lately and had an an infection in her leg.

“It took its toll,” O’Dell mentioned in a cellphone interview.

Funk was certainly one of 13 feminine pilots who went by way of the identical assessments as NASA’s all-male astronaut corps within the early Nineteen Sixties however by no means made it into area with that company. In 2021, she acquired her likelihood aboard Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket.

At the time, the 82-year-old was the oldest particular person to enter area, although the report was later damaged by “Star Trek” actor William Shatner and Ed Dwight, America’s first Black astronaut candidate. They had been each 90.

Bezos selected Funk as an “honored guest” to experience alongside him and two others on an up-and-down hop from West Texas.

In a put up on X, Blue Origin mentioned Funk was a “pioneer in every sense of the word.”

“We were humbled to be part of her journey,” the put up mentioned.

O’Dell mentioned Funk was 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 mentioned. “And she never got mad about it. She just was more determined.”

Funk was the primary feminine inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration and the primary feminine air security investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board, in keeping with a quick biography launched by the City of Grapevine.

In the Nineteen Sixties, she and different feminine pilots went by way of astronaut coaching within the Mercury 13 program, however they weren’t allowed to develop into astronauts.

“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,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted Thursday on X.