Trailblazing Aviator Wally Funk Passes Away at 87

WHO:

ABC News - Wally Funk, aviation pioneer, died at the age of 87.

CBS News - Funk was a resident of Grapevine, Texas.

CBS News - Duff O'Dell, Grapevine City Councilwoman, praised Funk's achievements.

WHAT:

[12:45 PM EDT] - CBS News - Funk died peacefully the evening before, surrounded by loved ones.

[12:45 PM EDT] - CBS News - Funk was recognized as a barrier-breaker for women in aviation and space exploration.

[12:45 PM EDT] - CBS News - Funk was the only member of the Mercury 13 program to reach space.

[12:45 PM EDT] - CBS News - Funk's capsule reached more than 2,500 miles per hour, more than three times the speed of sound.

[12:45 PM EDT] - CBS News - Funk described her experience in space as "the greatest feeling! Because you are on your own!"

CBS News - Funk was recognized as one of the Outstanding Young Women of America.

CBS News - Funk was named an Honorary Colonel of Louisiana.

CBS News - Funk was posthumously inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame at the New Mexico Museum of Space History.

CBS News - Funk was recognized with the Alumna Achievement Award from Stephens College in Missouri, becoming the youngest woman to receive the honor.

CBS News - Funk received the Outstanding Female Pilot Trophy from Oklahoma State University and the Flying Aggie Top Pilot Award.

Engadget - Funk became the oldest person to fly in space in 2021.

CBS News - Funk was the oldest woman to travel to space, achieving this at the age of 82 during Blue Origin's New Shepard NS-16 mission.

CBS News - Funk logged more than 30,000 hours of flight time and trained over 3,000 pilots.

CBS News - Funk was inducted into the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame in 2024 and will be posthumously inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame.

WHERE:

CBS News - Grapevine is located about 23 miles northwest of Dallas, Texas.

CBS News - Funk was the first female flight instructor at Fort Sill in Oklahoma.

WHEN:

CBS News - Funk was born on February 1, 1939.

CBS News - Funk's historic space flight occurred in July 2021.

WHY:

CBS News - Funk's achievements continue to inspire young people, especially girls, to pursue careers in science, aviation, and space exploration.

CBS News - Funk was recognized as a barrier-breaker for women in aviation and space exploration.

HOW:

[12:45 PM EDT] - CBS News - Funk completed the same rigorous physical and psychological testing program administered to NASA's Mercury 7 astronauts and ranked among the program's top performers.

CBS News - Funk outscored many of her male counterparts on several tests during the Mercury 13 program.

CBS News - Funk completed the same rigorous physical and psychological testing as NASA's Mercury 7 astronauts in the Mercury 13 program.

(UPDATED July 10, 2026 12:46 UTC)

Pioneering aviator and astronaut Wally Funk has passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones. She was celebrated as a trailblazer for women in aviation and space exploration, being the only member of the Mercury 13 program to have reached space, where her capsule soared to over 2,500 miles per hour, more than three times the speed of sound. Funk, who excelled in the same demanding testing program as NASA's Mercury 7 astronauts, famously described her experience in space as "the greatest feeling! Because you are on your own!"

(UPDATED July 10, 2026 10:06 UTC)

Funk has been honored as one of the Outstanding Young Women of America and has also been named an Honorary Colonel of Louisiana. During the Mercury 13 program, she notably outscored many of her male counterparts on several tests. These recognitions highlight her remarkable achievements and contributions.

(UPDATED July 9, 2026 23:20 UTC)

Funk was posthumously inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame at the New Mexico Museum of Space History, highlighting her remarkable contributions to aviation and space exploration. She also received the Alumna Achievement Award from Stephens College in Missouri, making her the youngest woman ever to earn this honor, along with the Outstanding Female Pilot Trophy from Oklahoma State University and the Flying Aggie Top Pilot Award. Her achievements serve as a powerful inspiration for young people, particularly girls, encouraging them to pursue careers in science, aviation, and space exploration.

(UPDATED July 9, 2026 22:23 UTC)

Wally Funk, the aviation pioneer and barrier-breaker for women in aviation and space exploration, has passed away at the age of 87 in Grapevine, Texas. Funk made history in July 2021 as the oldest woman to travel to space during Blue Origin's New Shepard NS-16 mission, and she logged over 30,000 hours of flight time while training more than 3,000 pilots. She was recognized for her achievements with an induction into the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame in 2024 and will be posthumously inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame.