1939-2026
'A New Mexico treasure': Aviation pioneer Wally Funk dies
Las Vegas, N.M., native was one of America鈥檚 first female astronaut trainees
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Wally Funk, a pioneer in aviation whose accomplishments include being the oldest woman to travel to space, died Wednesday night.
Funk, who was 87, died peacefully in her home, according to a . A cause of death was not disclosed.
鈥淲ally Funk鈥檚 unwavering determination proves that dreams have no expiration date,鈥� Grapevine City Councilwoman Duff O鈥橠ell said in the post. 鈥淗er courage, resilience, and groundbreaking achievements continue to inspire young people 鈥� especially girls 鈥� to pursue careers in science, aviation, and space exploration.鈥�
When Funk was 82, she became the oldest woman to , after joining Amazon founder Jeff Bezos as an honored guest aboard Blue Origin鈥檚 first crewed flight, the Journal previously reported.
In an Blue Origin described Funk as a 鈥減ioneer in every sense of the word.鈥�
Mary Wallace 鈥淲ally鈥� Funk was born Feb. 1, 1939, in Las Vegas, New Mexico, and grew up in Taos.
Funk got inspiration to fly from her mother, who wanted to go on a barnstorming flight when she was 17 in Olney, Illinois, but Funk鈥檚 grandfather told his daughter no, .
鈥淔unk credited an inherited desire 鈥� and her mother鈥檚 consistent support 鈥� for her own passion for flight. As she recalled in an interview, 鈥楾hat鈥檚 been my life. I have been in aviation since I was 16 and soloed and got all of my licenses,鈥欌�� according to the museum.
Funk earned her pilot鈥檚 license when she was 17. She logged more than 19,000 hours throughout her career and taught more than 3,000 people how to fly as an instructor.
She was among 13 female pilots who trained to become astronauts for America鈥檚 first human spaceflight program in the early 1960s. The training was part of a privately funded initiative called First Lady Astronaut Trainees, also known as 鈥� the subject of a with the same name that featured Funk.
Funk was also the first woman to be an inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration and air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board.
Funk received numerous honors, including induction into the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame and Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame. Later this year, she will be into the International Space Hall of Fame at the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo.
鈥淲ally was a New Mexico treasure,鈥� Loretta Hall, co-author of Funk鈥檚 memoir 鈥淗igher Faster Longer: My Life in Aviation and My Quest for Spaceflight,鈥� said in an email. 鈥淗er contributions to aviation safety and the inclusion of women in human spaceflight were the result of a positive attitude and patient persistence. We could all learn from her example.鈥�
Gregory R.C. Hasman is a general assignment reporter and the Road Warrior. He can be reached at ghasman@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3820.
