Rankin1220web

READER
SPOTLIGHT
Shanna
SPANN ________
Why did you decide to make Rankin County
your home?
Rankin County has always been my home.
I resided in the Florence area until my parents
moved us to Brandon in 1994.
Tell us about your family.
I am married Jeremy Spann, the owner of J.
Gerard’s Barber Salon in Pearl, and I am a
court administrator for Judge Haydn J.
Roberts in Rankin County Chancery Court.
We are a happily blended family that consists
of his three boys: Jayden G. Spann (23), Ian G.
Spann (17) and Kingston J. Spann (7), and my
two children: Alanna R. McLaurin (20) and
Jordan B. McLaurin (14). The strong and
different personalities make for the best times
in our home. We encourage our children to be
themselves at all times which makes for very
interesting and exciting conversations at our
dinner table.
What is your favorite memory of living in
Rankin County?
Definitely times spent with my family. I have
close relationships with both the paternal and
maternal sides of my family. Family gatherings,
holidays, and weekends at my grandmother’s
house and Sunday morning church services are
a few of my most enjoyable memories.
Although I have to admit, the best memory of
all is when we moved to Brandon!
Where are your three favorite places to eat
in Rankin County?
Hands down, our favorite place to eat in
Brandon is Mudbugs. However, because they
are seasonal, my husband and I will usually
dine at McAlister’s, while the boys love Sonic.
What are some fun things to do in Rankin
County on the weekends?
Shopping, shopping, and more shopping!
Seriously, over everything, I enjoy spending
time with my family. I love easy weekends
where nothing is required of us, and we have
no designated place to be. A nice relaxing
evening on the patio while my husband cooks
on the grill is the best! Prior to COVID-19,
Sundays were spent worshipping at Greater
New Friendship Baptist Church in Brandon.
Share some things you enjoy doing in your
spare time.
In my spare time…what’s spare time? Honestly,
I really enjoy reading a good book, but it seems
like forever since I’ve had an opportunity to do
so. I also enjoy spending time with my
grandmother; we love to watch Lifetime
movies together. I am also a member of Junior
Auxiliary of Rankin County where we’re
always up to something good!
Who is someone you admire and why?
The person I admire most is my grandmother,
Ms. Henry Lee Barnes. She is 85 years young,
and she is the pillar of our family and the
community. Filled with so much love and
wisdom, she is ALWAYS honest and fair,
whether the outcome favors you or not. Her
strength is unparalleled to anything I have ever
seen or experienced, and there has never been
anything I could tell her about my life that she
hasn’t already experienced. She truly loves the
Lord, and it manifests in every area of her
Christian walk. She gives God the glory for
everything and I believe that, as a result of her
prayers, I am who I am today. She is truly my
very best friend, and I love her from the
depths of my heart.
Where do you see yourself ten years from
now?
I pray that I will continue to have my health,
strength and sanity of mind. I’d hope that I’d
be a better person then than I am today, as I
will have garnered more life experiences. I
would also hope that I will have helped others
along the way and will have treated people as
I’d like to have been treated, regardless of who
they were and regardless of their circumstances.
Finally, I pray that my family and friends
would continue to be blessed in every way, as
well as for continued blessings and success in
my personal life and professional career.
What is your favorite childhood memory?
When my cousin Jennifer and I would explore
in the woods. We gathered eggs, fed horses and
played in the barn all day. When we got hungry,
we would gather fresh fruits and veggies and
eat them straight from our great-grandmother’s
garden! Then there were the times
my cousin Nicole and I would spend the
weekend at my grandmother’s house. She
worked at MSH and her shift ended at midnight
and we made it our business to be awake when
she arrived. The next morning my grandfather
would go squirrel hunting and he would come
home with his hunting vest full of them! My
grandmother would smother the squirrel with
gravy, along with grits, homemade biscuits and
a cup of coffee. It was the most delicious meal
but I now realize not only was she feeding our
bellies, she was nourishing our souls. After
breakfast, our only job was to play! FUN
TIMES!!
If you could give us one encouraging quote,
what would it be?
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean
not on your own understanding; in all your
ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct
your paths.” - Proverbs 3:5-6,
What is your favorite thing about
Hometown Magazines?
I LOVE Hometown Magazine! It is filled with
tons of information and it is designed just for
our county. It keeps us current on everything
going on around us. I never miss an issue!
Hometown RANKIN • 15