Wally Funk, the oldest woman to travel to space, dies

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STILLWATER, Okla. (KFOR) — The oldest woman to go to space, Wally Funk, has died, according to the city of Grapevine, Texas, where she was living. She was 87.

Funk died on Wednesday night surrounded by loved ones, the city said.

Funk, known for her dedication of more than seven decades to aviation, stamped her part in NASA history as a member of the Mercury 13 in the 1960s, fulfilling her dream to become an astronaut after being rejected four times by NASA when they cut the women’s program.

However, Funk’s desire and determination to travel to space came to fruition on July 20, 2021, aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-16 mission with Jeff Bezos at age 82. The trip helped her earn a Guinness World Record as the oldest woman to travel to space.

“No one has waited longer,” Bezos said in an Instagram post announcing Funk as an “honored guest.” “It’s time. Welcome to the crew, Wally.”

“The launch was so fantastic. You can’t believe it. We learned to sit in and out of our seats a lot. My seat was No. 3. And you have to strap, left, front, this one, this one and be completely buckled in hard,” Funk said afterward. “And they would come check and see if it was hard enough, and if it wasn’t hard enough, he would just do it for you. I sat there, and we took off, and it was fantastic.”

The Oklahoma State University (OSU) graduate is also a proud member of the Flying Aggies team.

Spending 62 miles above the Earth’s surface, Funk described the experience, saying, “When we got into space, it was so fabulous,” she told The McKnight Center crowd at OSU. “The whole flight was so easy; it was incredible.”

Funk is known for inspiring people around the world and holds a list of pilot certifications she earned at Oklahoma State University. While breaking the glass ceiling for women, Funk was also a dedicated member of the Oklahoma City-based Ninety-Nines International Organization for Women Pilots.

Funk’s other accomplishments include becoming the first female flight instructor at Fort Sill, Oklahoma; inspector for the FAA; and air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board. As an instructor, Funk trained more than 3,000 pilots over more than 30,000 hours of flight time, the City of Grapevine said.

She stands in the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame and the Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame, and is an Honorary Colonel of Louisiana. Posthumously, Funk will be inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame at the New Mexico Museum of Space History.

“You have to be your own person. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can and cannot do,” Funk said during an event at Oklahoma State honoring her accomplishments.

“Wally Funk’s unwavering determination proves that dreams have no expiration date,” said Grapevine City Councilwoman Duff O’Dell. “Her courage, resilience, and groundbreaking achievements continue to inspire young people—especially girls—to pursue careers in science, aviation, and space exploration. Grapevine is honored to call Wally Funk one of our own.”

Funeral arrangements for Funk have not been released at this time.

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Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos

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Wally Funk

Wally Funk

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