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Wally Funk, a pioneering pilot who made history as the oldest woman to travel into space and previously volunteered for the 1961 NASA Women in Space Program, has died at the age of 87.
According to Grapevine city spokesperson Mona Quintanilla on Thursday, Funk passed away Wednesday evening at her home in Grapevine, Texas.
“Wally was a beloved Grapevine resident whose extraordinary accomplishments and generous spirit left an enduring legacy,” the post on Facebook reads.
“The City of Grapevine proudly recognizes Wally Funk, whose extraordinary career has inspired generations by breaking barriers in aviation and space exploration. Funk continues to serve as a global symbol of determination, perseverance, and excellence.”
Born on Feb. 1, 1939, she devoted her life to aviation, building a trailblazing career marked by numerous groundbreaking achievements.
At just 16 years old, she enrolled at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, where she joined the school's women's flying club. According to the Lonestar Flight Museum in Houston, she earned her pilot's license the following year.
Despite being rejected by airlines even after obtaining her airline transport pilot certification, Funk remained determined to succeed.
She went on to become the first woman to serve as a flight inspector for the U.S body Federal Aviation Administration, and later the first female investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board.
She became the oldest woman to travel to space at the age of 82 during a flight with Jeff Bezos in July 2021.
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