Wally Funk: key obituary facts
Is Wally Funk dead? Yes. Wally Funk died on July 8, 2026, at age 87.
Cause of death: Wally Funk's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Wally Funk known for?
She was an American aviator and astronaut.
More about Wally Funk
Born: 1 February 1939.
Place of birth: Las Vegas.
Gender: female.
Occupation: aircraft pilot, inspector, flight instructor, astronaut.
Nationality: United States.
Education: Stephens College, Oklahoma State University.
Awards: Women in Aviation International, honorary doctorate.
Also known as: Mary Wallace Funk.
Known for: First female FAA and NTSB inspector; one of the Mercury 13; oldest woman to fly in space.
Wally Funk died on July 8, 2026.
She was an American aviator and commercial astronaut whose career also included work as an aircraft pilot, inspector, flight instructor, and astronaut. Funk was born in Las Vegas on February 1, 1939.
She also went by the name Mary Wallace Funk.