Dana Leroy Shires Jr., age 92, of Tampa, Florida passed away on Saturday, May 3, 2025. He spent his early years in West Virginia and Virginia before moving to Jacksonville, Florida. Upon graduation from high school, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1952, serving during the Korean War, afterwards continuing his education at the University of Florida where he graduated from Medical School in 1961. He continued his medical education by specializing in nephrology where he and his colleagues invented Gatorade.
A pioneer in his field, Dr. Shires went on to create LifeLink foundation, an organization dedicated to patients in need of organ transplant therapy. His groundbreaking work continues to Impact lives around the world.
He is survived by his loving children, Dan and his wife Sydney, Ben and his wife Cathy, Melinda and her husband John, Sarah and her husband Rob, Patricia and her husband Mitch, John and his wife Cathy, Claude and his wife Kris, and Robert, along with 16 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.
A memorial service for Dana will be held Saturday, June 7, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at LifeLink Foundation, 9661 Delaney Creek Blvd, Tampa, FL 33619.
