Aviation pioneer Wally Funk, who trained as an early female astronaut, dies at 87

Aviation pioneer Wally Funk, who trained as an early female astronaut and volunteered for NASA’s 1961 “Women in Space Program,” died at 87. Funk passed away Wednesday evening at her home in Grapevine, Texas, according to a statement shared by the city on social media. Born Mary Wallace Funk on February 1, 1939, she earned her pilot’s license at age 17 after joining a women’s flying club at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. After airlines rejected her following her Airline Transport Pilot rating, she became the first female flight inspector for the FAA and the first female investigator for the National Transportation and Safety Board. Funk logged over 19,600 flying hours and taught more than 3,000 people to fly. She was also part of NASA’s Mercury 13 program, completing extensive training and testing, but women were ultimately denied astronaut opportunities. Her service and experience were later highlighted in a 2021 Blue Origin promotional video. A city councilwoman described her legacy as inspiration for future scientists and aviators.