GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) 鈥� Wally Funk, an aviation pioneer who was the oldest woman to launch into space, has died. She was 87.
Funk died Wednesday at her apartment in an assisted living facility in the Dallas and Fort Worth suburb of Grapevine, Texas, Grapevine City Councilwoman Duff O’Dell said Thursday. O’Dell, who described herself as Funk’s caregiver, said she was by Funk’s side. Funk had fallen a couple of times recently and had an infection in her leg.
鈥淚t took its toll,鈥� O’Dell said in a phone interview.
Funk was one of 13 female pilots who went through the same tests as NASA鈥檚 all-male astronaut corps in the early 1960s but never made it into space with that agency. In 2021, she got her chance
At the time, the 82-year-old was the oldest person to go into space, though the record was later broken by 鈥淪tar Trek鈥� actor William Shatner and Ed Dwight, America鈥檚 first Black astronaut candidate. They were both 90.
Bezos chose Funk as an 鈥渉onored guest鈥� to ride alongside him and two others on an up-and-down hop from West Texas.
In a post on X, Blue Origin said Funk was a 鈥減ioneer in every sense of the word.鈥�
鈥淲e were humbled to be part of her journey,鈥� the post said.
O鈥橠ell said Funk was the 鈥渕ost eternally optimistic person鈥� she had ever met.
鈥淪he was told by many, many, many men, 鈥楴o, you can鈥檛 do this. No you can鈥檛 do that,鈥� 鈥� O鈥橠ell said. 鈥淎nd she never got mad about it. She just was more determined.鈥�
Funk 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 a brief biography released by the City of Grapevine.
In the 1960s, she and other female pilots went through astronaut training in the Mercury 13 program, but they were not allowed to become astronauts.
鈥淲ally 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,鈥� NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted Thursday on X.
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