By SANDRA THAMES / Community Columnist

Born in Arkansas, Shaney Dunn moved to Fungo Hollow with her mom and grandparents when she was a child. Later, her mom married, so Shaney wound up at Trussville High School in 1985.

Ironically, the very first day of her freshman year, she spotted a “cutie.” When she told her family that she had met the person she was going to marry, they laughed. Shaney Brasher became Shaney Dunn one month after her high school graduation 23 years ago.

Son Cody Dunn is a 2009 Thompson High School graduate who works full-time with his mother.

Attending Jefferson State and continuing his love of music keep him very busy. Younger son Blake is a junior at Thompson High School and plays varsity football.

After marriage, Dunn had attended one year of nursing school and spent two years in childcare development. After baby No. 2, she needed extra money but didn’t want to leave her babies. She took a job at Just for Kids in Trussville as an assistant director and daycare teacher. Here, she met Martha Sewell, who would become her best friend.

Dunn’s aunt managed the office for Dr. Frank Rudeseal. Dunn was hired as a front office receptionist but wanted “to learn it all.” With one year of nursing under her belt, she began to absorb information and procedures from all the nurses.

When Dr. Larry Lee joined the practice, Dunn became his go-to girl as his practice needed only one assistant at that time. Learning about medications, drawing blood and assisting with procedures became the norm of each day. After working her way up to office manager, she took coding classes along with other necessary classes. She is a medical assistant under the direction of Dr. Lee. Currently, Dunn’s job includes managing 10 employees, being responsible for staffing, training, work protocol, license application, paying bills, deposits, accounting, coding, designing forms, handbooks, payroll employee benefits, mail, rules and regulations, staying up-to-date on formulary, organization and scheduling, refiles and handling charges at the hospital and nursing home. However, interaction with patients is her favorite part of the job. Being inspired by elderly couples who have been married a long time and experienced so much in life makes her love her job more each day.

Two years ago, husband, Chris, went through scary life-threatening cerebral surgery. It’s the only time she ever took off from work.

Perhaps because she had rough times in her childhood, it has helped her understand drug issues, alcohol abuse and poverty more than some of us. She is very tender-hearted.

Auburn football, Thompson football and weekends with family in her Grandview home make Shaney Brasher Dunn a happy woman.

“I am blessed … over and over and over,” Dunn said.
Community columnist Sandra Thames can be reached  by e–mail at bobthames1942@yahoo.com.