Jenny Wallenda , 87 , the matriarch of the famous family of high-flying circus performers , died late Saturday at her home in Sarasota , Florida , according to family members . Wallenda 's nephew , Rick Wallenda , said his aunt died following a lengthy illness . 'She had a great life in entertainment , a very rewarding and rich life , ' he said . Wallenda was the oldest daughter of high wire walker Karl Wallenda and grandmother of daredevil performer Nik Wallenda . Matriarch : In this January 1964 photo , Jenny Wallenda applies makeup in a dressing room prior to appearing at the opening of the Shrine Circus in Detroit . She died late Saturday at age 87 . Relative : Wallenda was the oldest daughter of high wire walker Karl Wallenda . Karl Wallenda is seen in London in this November 1976 photograph . Legacy : Jenny Wallenda was grandmother of daredevil performer Nik Wallenda , seen here over the Grand Canyon in 2013 . Tricks : Karl Wallenda is seen here preforming in February 1964 . He later fell to his death in 1978 . Jenny Wallenda 's husband , Richard Faughnan , died in 1962 when a human pyramid collapsed . Karl Wallenda fell to his death in 1978 . Jenny Wallenda survived the invasion of Berlin by Soviet forces at the end of World War II and returned to the United States in 1947 to perform with her family . Her parents sent her to Germany to live with her grandparents in 1934 at age 6 . Jenny Wallenda walked the high wire as an adult and performed on bareback horses as a child . According to the Sarasota Herald Tribune Wallenda advocated for causes important to the circus community in her later years and helped create the Circus Ring of Fame . She was inducted into the Ring of Fame in 2008 . Nik Wallenda paid tribute to the woman he called Oma on his Facebook page . 'She was an amazing woman who lived a truly incredible life . She will be missed everyday . Oma in your honor , I will never give up , ' he wrote . Tribute : On Facebook Nik Wallenda ( seen over Chicago in 2014 ) wrote of grandmother Jenny Wallenda 'She was an amazing woman who lived a truly incredible life . She will be missed everyday ' Embrace : Jenny Wallenda ( left ) , is seen with her father Karl Wallenda , center , and her sister Carla , right . The famed Wallenda circus troupe perform at the Michigan State Fairgrounds in Detroit , January 30 , 1962 . Two of the group were killed and a third injured when this pyramid formation collapsed and the performers fell to the ground . Left to right ( bottom row ) : Dieter Schepp , 23 ; Mario Wallenda , 21 ; Richard Faughnan , 29 ; Gunther Wallenda , 42 . Second row , left to right : Karl Wallenda , 57 ; Herman Wallenda , 60 . Sitting on chair atop pyramid is Jana Schepp , 17 . Dieter Schepp and Faughnan died in the fall . Mario Wallenda and Miss Schepp were injured . Famous family : In this January 1964 photo , Karl Wallenda , center left , and his daughter Jenny , center right , wait on the sideline with troupe members Louis Murillo , left , and Andy Anderson , before performing a high wire act in Detroit .
Jenny Wallenda , her later years , the matriarch of the famous family of high-flying circus performers , died late Saturday at her home in Sarasota , Florida . Her nephew , Rick Wallenda , said his aunt died following a lengthy illness . Wallenda was the oldest daughter of high wire walker Karl Wallenda and grandmother of daredevil performer Nik Wallenda . Nik Wallenda has walked over the Grand Canyon and over Chicago . Jenny Wallenda walked the high wire as an adult and performed on bareback horses as a child . She also advocated for causes important to the circus community in 87 and helped create the Circus Ring of Fame .