Rena Buswell was born and raised in Brook and graduated from Brook High School in 1927 and taught in a one room school in Newton County. She also taught at Indiana Business College in Indianapolis. In 1935 She became interested in aviation after attending an Air Show in Brook. Soon afterwards she enrolled in a flying course taught by Captain Lawrence I. Aretz. The March 10, 1936 edition of the Brook Reporter states: "On Tuesday of this week she made her first solo flight and wins the distinction of being the first Newton County Woman to fly a plane. After the required number of hours in the air, she will be eligible for a pilot's license." At the same time, a Lafayette newspaper article on Rena states: "The first of a feminine crop of flyers at the Purdue Airport under Captain Lawrence I. Aretz, veteran instructor and operations manager of the field, was Miss Rena Buswell,26, of Ade, who took off twice Tuesday afternoon and made perfect landings. A general chorus of masculine acclamation greeted her when she stepped from the port's craft, just a little nervous, but extremely happy, after having won her wings. Captain Aretz was Lamong the first to congratulate Miss Buswell. Her achievement grows in significance when it is known that she had only 11 hours and 25 minutes of preliminary training, and this was scattered over a period dating from October 31, 1935. Several Purdue University coeds and local feminine enthusiasts are taking training at the field, and Captain Aretz expects to have several of them ready to solo during spring and early summer."
According to her family, she asked her father to be her first passenger but he refused; instead her mother was her first passenger.
In 1936,Rena was the first woman to graduate from the Purdue University School of Aviation. She was acquainted with Amelia Earhart but all memorabilia was destroyed when Rena's house burned in the 1950s.
On June 22, 1940, Rena married Charles William Key and they had three children, Betty, Patricia and Jim. After Charles's death in 1953, Rena married Donald Lloyd Downs in 1963 and remained in the Indianapolis area. After her father's death, she inherited the Buswell Homestead which she sold to Ronald Buswell, the son of her cousin, Vernon. As of 2016, the land is still in the Buswell family.
According to her family, she asked her father to be her first passenger but he refused; instead her mother was her first passenger.
In 1936,Rena was the first woman to graduate from the Purdue University School of Aviation. She was acquainted with Amelia Earhart but all memorabilia was destroyed when Rena's house burned in the 1950s.
On June 22, 1940, Rena married Charles William Key and they had three children, Betty, Patricia and Jim. After Charles's death in 1953, Rena married Donald Lloyd Downs in 1963 and remained in the Indianapolis area. After her father's death, she inherited the Buswell Homestead which she sold to Ronald Buswell, the son of her cousin, Vernon. As of 2016, the land is still in the Buswell family.
Rena Buswell was born and raised in Brook and graduated from Brook High School in 1927 and taught in a one room school in Newton County. She also taught at Indiana Business College in Indianapolis. In 1935 She became interested in aviation after attending an Air Show in Brook. Soon afterwards she enrolled in a flying course taught by Captain Lawrence I. Aretz. The March 10, 1936 edition of the Brook Reporter states: "On Tuesday of this week she made her first solo flight and wins the distinction of being the first Newton County Woman to fly a plane. After the required number of hours in the air, she will be eligible for a pilot's license." At the same time, a Lafayette newspaper article on Rena states: "The first of a feminine crop of flyers at the Purdue Airport under Captain Lawrence I. Aretz, veteran instructor and operations manager of the field, was Miss Rena Buswell,26, of Ade, who took off twice Tuesday afternoon and made perfect landings. A general chorus of masculine acclamation greeted her when she stepped from the port's craft, just a little nervous, but extremely happy, after having won her wings. Captain Aretz was Lamong the first to congratulate Miss Buswell. Her achievement grows in significance when it is known that she had only 11 hours and 25 minutes of preliminary training, and this was scattered over a period dating from October 31, 1935. Several Purdue University coeds and local feminine enthusiasts are taking training at the field, and Captain Aretz expects to have several of them ready to solo during spring and early summer."
According to her family, she asked her father to be her first passenger but he refused; instead her mother was her first passenger.
In 1936,Rena was the first woman to graduate from the Purdue University School of Aviation. She was acquainted with Amelia Earhart but all memorabilia was destroyed when Rena's house burned in the 1950s.
On June 22, 1940, Rena married Charles William Key and they had three children, Betty, Patricia and Jim. After Charles's death in 1953, Rena married Donald Lloyd Downs in 1963 and remained in the Indianapolis area. After her father's death, she inherited the Buswell Homestead which she sold to Ronald Buswell, the son of her cousin, Vernon. As of 2016, the land is still in the Buswell family.
According to her family, she asked her father to be her first passenger but he refused; instead her mother was her first passenger.
In 1936,Rena was the first woman to graduate from the Purdue University School of Aviation. She was acquainted with Amelia Earhart but all memorabilia was destroyed when Rena's house burned in the 1950s.
On June 22, 1940, Rena married Charles William Key and they had three children, Betty, Patricia and Jim. After Charles's death in 1953, Rena married Donald Lloyd Downs in 1963 and remained in the Indianapolis area. After her father's death, she inherited the Buswell Homestead which she sold to Ronald Buswell, the son of her cousin, Vernon. As of 2016, the land is still in the Buswell family.
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