American aviation pioneer Wally Funk has passed away at the age of 87, a spokesperson for the city of Grapevine, Texas (in the south), yesterday, Thursday.

Mary Wallace “Wally” Fank traveled to space at the age of 82, making her the oldest woman ever to participate in such a mission.

She died the day before yesterday, Wednesday, of natural causes at her home, surrounded by her family.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Wally Funk,” Jeff Bezos’s private space company Blue Origin said via X.

Wally Funk made her first and only trip to space in 2021 aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft.

“We are honored to have been part of her journey,” the company added.

The former pilot was the first woman to serve as an aircraft safety inspector at the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

She was also the first female flight instructor at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

She had completed a training program for female astronauts in the 1960s but was never selected to participate in a NASA mission.

Daf O’Dell, her friend and a member of the Grapevine City Council, commented on Facebook that “the unwavering determination” of the deceased shows that “dreams have no expiration date.”

Source: Proto Thema