American aviator, Mary Wallace “Wally” Funk never gave up on her dream to go to space and that dream was finally realized at the age of 82 when she launched into suborbital space on Blue Origin’s New Shepard 4 mission. Why would an 82-year-old woman want to go to space? Let’s take a look at the journey that led to this accomplishment.
Wally Funk was born on February 1, 1939, in Las Vegas, New Mexico and grew up in Taos, New Mexico. Her interest in planes started at a very young age, in fact her first flying lesson was at nine years old! Growing up, she was a gifted marksman and enjoyed all kinds of outdoor activities including riding a bike and horse, skiing, fishing, and hunting.
While in High School she wanted to take classes in mechanical drawing and auto mechanics, but because she was girl, she was required to take home economics instead. Imagine being told you couldn’t take the class you wanted! Times have really changed during her lifetime.
Wally Funk first received her pilot’s license in 1958 along with an Associate of Arts Degree. Later she attended Oklahoma State University where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education. It was when she was 20 years old that she became a professional aviator and later became the first female flight instructor at a military base. She continued to be a pioneer for women when she became the first female Air Safety Investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board, a position she held for 11 years.
Even though she was younger than the official recruiting age, Wally Funk volunteered for the Women in Space Program in 1961. It is said that she scored higher on some tests than John Glenn! The group of 13 women who gradated from the program were called the Mercury 13. Unfortunately, the program was canceled before this group completed their last test. This didn’t stop Wally Funk’s goal of going to space. She continued to apply to be a NASA astronaut and even with her experience, she was turned down.
By the time Eileen Collins became the first woman to pilot a space shuttle, Wally Funk was too old to meet the requirements. But Wally never gave up on her dream despite the obstacles she faced and that reminds us to not give up on our dreams and goals. July 20, 2021 was the day Wally Funk patiently waited for and where she added to her over 18,000 flight hours. She created an impressive legacy that will enable others to follow in her footsteps!
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