Thursday, March 28, 2024

Southlake Senior Activity Center Member, Wally Funk, Honored at Hometown Parade and SAC Luncheon

The Southlake Senior Activity Center is known for having world-class members with infinitely fascinating stories to tell. World-class aviator, Wally Funk, is no exception.

Wally Funk became a professional aviator in her early 20s and became a flight instructor, flight inspector, and air safety investigator, along with other impressive aviation titles and certifications. In the early 1960s, Funk participated in the Women in Space program, a group later dubbed the Mercury 13. During this time, Funk underwent rigorous physical and mental tests. While passing all the tests with flying colors, NASA did not recruit women for spaceflight until 1978. After decades of flying, Wally Funk’s dreams of going to space finally came true.

On Tuesday, July 20, 2021, Senior Center Member Wally Funk sealed her stamp on history by becoming the oldest person in space aboard Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin New Shepard space tourism rocket. After a lifetime of trailblazing for women in aviation and space flight, Wally Funk finally soared to astronomical heights.

In honor of her impressive aviation career and her historic flight onboard the Blue Origin New Shepard, the City of Grapevine held a Parade and Community Celebration along Grapevine’s Historic Main Street on Saturday, August 7, at noon. The parade included a presentation by aviation leaders, peers, Grapevine Mayor William D. Tate, and the Grapevine City Council. Wally Funk was also available to answer questions.

The Southlake Senior Activity Center also welcomed Ms. Wally Funk at yesterday’s Metroport Meals On Wheels luncheon. The weekly congregated lunch was filled with more excitement and joy than ever as everyone cheered Wally for achieving her long-awaited dream of going to space. Senior members lined up to take photos and congratulate her, and Wally did not disappoint.

Anyone who has had the pleasure of speaking with Wally Funk knows that she is a world-class aviator with a lifetime of unique stories to tell. We love hearing all about her out-of-this-world career at the Senior Center, and are super proud of all her achievements!

Keep reaching new heights, Wally!