luvflyin
Touchdown! Greaser!
- Joined
- May 8, 2015
- Messages
- 17,444
- Location
- Santa Barbara, CA
- Display Name
- Luvflyin
- Home Airfield
- KVUO
Mary Wallace "Wally" Funk (1939–2026) was a legendary American aviator, commercial astronaut, and a fierce trailblazer who spent her life breaking gender barriers in aviation and space exploration.
Her remarkable legacy spans several historic achievements:
The Mercury 13: In 1961, Funk was the youngest participant in the privately funded "Women in Space Program." Along with 12 other elite female pilots, she underwent the exact same grueling physiological and psychological screening tests as NASA's male Mercury astronauts—and passed with flying colors, sometimes even outperforming her male counterparts. Despite their qualifications, NASA did not permit women into the space program at the time.
Aviation Firsts: Undeterred by the military and commercial airline restrictions of her era, Funk amassed an incredible aviation career with over 19,000 (and by some estimates up to 30,000) flight hours. She became:
The first female civilian flight instructor at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
The first female Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight inspector (1971).
The first female Air Safety Investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in 1974, where she personally investigated over 450 accidents.
An incredibly prolific flight instructor who soloed more than 700 students and trained thousands more.
Journey to Space: After waiting six decades, Funk finally realized her lifelong dream on July 20, 2021. At age 82, she flew to space alongside Jeff Bezos aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket (Mission NS-16). This historic flight made her the oldest woman to ever travel to space, and the only member of the Mercury 13 to ever reach the stars.
She passed away recently at her home in Grapevine, Texas, at the age of 87, leaving behind an enduring legacy as a global symbol of grit, determination, and excellence.
Her remarkable legacy spans several historic achievements:
The Mercury 13: In 1961, Funk was the youngest participant in the privately funded "Women in Space Program." Along with 12 other elite female pilots, she underwent the exact same grueling physiological and psychological screening tests as NASA's male Mercury astronauts—and passed with flying colors, sometimes even outperforming her male counterparts. Despite their qualifications, NASA did not permit women into the space program at the time.
Aviation Firsts: Undeterred by the military and commercial airline restrictions of her era, Funk amassed an incredible aviation career with over 19,000 (and by some estimates up to 30,000) flight hours. She became:
The first female civilian flight instructor at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
The first female Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight inspector (1971).
The first female Air Safety Investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in 1974, where she personally investigated over 450 accidents.
An incredibly prolific flight instructor who soloed more than 700 students and trained thousands more.
Journey to Space: After waiting six decades, Funk finally realized her lifelong dream on July 20, 2021. At age 82, she flew to space alongside Jeff Bezos aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket (Mission NS-16). This historic flight made her the oldest woman to ever travel to space, and the only member of the Mercury 13 to ever reach the stars.
She passed away recently at her home in Grapevine, Texas, at the age of 87, leaving behind an enduring legacy as a global symbol of grit, determination, and excellence.
