Wally Funk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wally Funk
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Funk in 2012
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| Born | February 1, 1939 Las Vegas, New Mexico, U.S.
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| Died | July 8, 2026 (aged 87) Grapevine, Texas, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Stephens College Oklahoma State University |
| Known for | First female FAA and NTSB inspector; one of the Mercury 13; oldest woman to fly in space |
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Commercial Astronaut |
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| Missions | NS-16 |
Mary Wallace Funk (born February 1, 1939 – died July 8, 2026) was an amazing American aviator and commercial astronaut. She was known for many "firsts" for women in aviation. Wally Funk was the first female air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board. She was also the first female civilian flight instructor at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Plus, she was the first female Federal Aviation Administration inspector. Wally Funk was also a special member of the Mercury 13 group.
Wally Funk made history on July 20, 2021, when she became the oldest person to travel to space. She was 82 years old. She flew on Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft during a short suborbital spaceflight. This broke a record that John Glenn had held for 23 years. Her record was later broken by William Shatner on October 13 of the same year, when he flew at age 90. As of 2026, Wally Funk remains the oldest woman to have traveled into space.
Wally Funk was the last surviving member of the Mercury 13 group. She was also the only one of the thirteen women who actually got to travel into space.
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Wally Funk's Early Life
Wally Funk was born in Las Vegas, New Mexico, in 1939. She grew up in Taos, New Mexico. Her parents owned a local store. Artists from the Taos art colony would sometimes trade their artwork to pay off their bills at the store. This meant Wally's family had a unique art collection.
A Childhood Dream of Flying
From a very young age, Wally was fascinated by planes. When she was just one year old, her parents took her to an airport. She saw a Douglas DC-3, which was an early type of airliner. Wally tried to touch the plane's wheel. Her mother said, "She’s going to fly!" Wally became very interested in how machines worked. She built model airplanes and ships. By age seven, she was making planes from balsa wood. At nine, she had her very first flying lesson.
Outdoor Adventures and Achievements
Wally Funk was also a skilled outdoorswoman. She loved riding her bike and horse, skiing, hunting, and fishing. When she was 14, she became an expert marksman. She even received the Distinguished Rifleman's Award. The National Rifle Association of America sent her amazing shooting results to President Dwight Eisenhower. He wrote back to her! Around the same time, she was the top female skier in the southwestern United States for slalom and downhill races.
Education and Flight Training
When Wally was in high school, she wanted to take classes like mechanical drawing and auto mechanics. However, because she was a girl, she was only allowed to take classes like home economics. Feeling frustrated, Wally left high school early at age 16. She then went to Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri.
Becoming a "Flying Susie"
At Stephens College, Wally joined the "Flying Susies." She was the top student in her class of 24 pilots. In 1958, she graduated with her pilot's license and an Associate of Arts degree.
Advanced Aviation Studies
Wally then went on to Oklahoma State University. There, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education. She was especially drawn to OSU because of its famous "Flying Aggies" program. At OSU, Wally earned many different aviation certificates. These included licenses for commercial flying, multi-engine planes, and becoming a flight instructor. She was also an officer for the "Flying Aggies." She won several awards, including "Outstanding Female Pilot" and "Flying Aggie Top Pilot."
Wally Funk's Aviation Career
At just 20 years old, Wally Funk became a professional aviator. Her first job was at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. She worked as a civilian flight instructor for soldiers in the United States Army. Wally was the first female flight instructor at a U.S. military base. In 1961, she took a job in California as a certified flight instructor and chief pilot.
Breaking Barriers in Commercial Aviation
In 1968, Wally earned her Airline Transport Rating. She was only the 58th woman in the U.S. to achieve this. She applied to three commercial airlines. However, despite her skills, many airlines were not yet hiring women pilots.
A Pioneer in Air Safety
In 1971, Wally Funk became a flight inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). She was the first woman to complete the FAA's special training course for inspectors. She worked for four years as a field examiner for the FAA, again being the first woman in this role. In 1973, she was promoted to a specialist position in the FAA's Systems Worthiness Analysis Program. She was the first woman in the United States to hold this job.
In 1974, Wally was hired by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). She became their first female Air Safety Investigator. Wally investigated 450 accidents, working to understand what went wrong. She was even featured in a TV episode about the crash of Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182 in 1978.
Racing Through the Skies
While working, Wally also took part in many air races. She placed well in several competitions, including the Powder Puff Derby. On October 4, 1975, flying her red and white Citabria plane, Wally won the Pacific Air Race. She competed against 80 other pilots in that race.
Wally retired from her role as an Air Safety Investigator in 1985. She then became an FAA Safety Counselor. She was a well-known pilot trainer and speaker on aviation safety. In 1987, she became the Chief Pilot at Emery Aviation College. There, she oversaw flight programs for 100 students.
Wally Funk was a chief pilot for five different aviation schools. As a professional Flight Instructor, she taught over 700 students to fly solo. She also helped 3,000 pilots earn various advanced licenses.
Wally Funk's Space Career
The Mercury 13 Dream
In February 1961, Wally Funk volunteered for the "Women in Space" Program. This program was run by William Randolph Lovelace, but it was not officially supported by the government. Wally contacted Lovelace, sharing all her flying experience. Even though she was younger than the usual age range, she was invited to join. Twenty-five women were invited, and thirteen, including Wally, completed the tough training. Wally was the youngest at 21. On some tests, she even scored better than astronaut John Glenn! The media called this group the "Mercury 13."
Like the male astronauts, Wally and the other women went through very strict physical and mental tests. In one test, volunteers were placed in special tanks that blocked out all senses. Wally stayed in the tank for 10 hours and 35 minutes without imagining things, which was a record! She passed all her tests and was ready for space. Her score was the third best in the entire Mercury 13 program. Sadly, the program was canceled before the women could take their final test.
After the Mercury 13 program ended, Wally Funk became a goodwill ambassador.
Never Giving Up on Space
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Wally never stopped dreaming of going to space. When NASA finally started accepting women astronauts in the late 1970s, Wally applied three times. Even with all her experience, she was turned down. This was because she did not have an engineering degree or a background as a test pilot.
In 1995, Lt. Col. Eileen Collins became the first woman to pilot a Space Shuttle into space. By this time, Wally was too old to qualify as a Space Shuttle pilot. Wally and six other members of the Mercury 13 were special guests at Collins' launch. NASA gave them a VIP tour of the Kennedy Space Center.
In 2012, Wally paid money to be one of the first people to fly into space with Virgin Galactic. The money for this flight came from her book and film earnings, as well as family funds.
In July 2020, Wally Funk published her life story in a book called Higher Faster Longer – My Life in Aviation and My Quest for Space Flight.
Historic Space Flight in 2021
On July 1, 2021, Blue Origin announced that Wally Funk would fly on their first New Shepard flight with passengers. She was one of four people on the flight. The others included Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark, and 18-year-old Oliver Daemen. On July 20, 2021, the flight was a success! Wally Funk, at 82 years old, became the oldest person to fly to space. She broke John Glenn's record, who was 77 when he flew in 1998. Later that year, William Shatner flew on Blue Origin NS-18 at age 90, breaking Wally's record.
Wally Funk's Personal Life
Wally Funk lived in Grapevine, Texas. She loved sports and restoring old cars. Her collection included a 1951 Hooper Silver Wraith.
Wally had flown for over 18,600 hours. Up until 2019, she continued to fly every Saturday as an instructor.
Wally Funk passed away at her home in Grapevine on July 8, 2026.
Awards and Honors for Wally Funk
- In 1964, Wally Funk received the Alumna Achievement Award from Stephens College. She was the youngest woman in the college's history to get this award.
- In 1965, she was chosen as one of the Outstanding Young Women in America. This was for her amazing skills and service to her community and country.
- In 2012, her life story was filmed for the Traveling Space Museum.
- In 2017, Wally Funk's name was added to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Wall of Honor. This recognized her important contributions to aviation and space exploration.
- In 2022, Wally was given the R.A. "Bob" Hoover trophy by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. This award honored her excellent flying skills, leadership, and passion for aviation.
- Also in 2022, the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum gave Wally Funk the Michael Collins Trophy for Lifetime Achievement.
- Wally Funk is listed in "Who's Who in Aviation," a special list of important people in aviation.
See also
In Spanish: Wally Funk para niños
