William Derek Shows

1936 - 2025

William Derek Shows

July 3, 1936 - December 2, 2025

Durham, North Carolina - William Derek Shows died on December 2, 2025 at Duke University Hospital. Derek was born in Soso, Mississippi on July 3, 1936 to William Orion Shows and Mitchell Rea Ford. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Emma Jean Windham, his brothers, Thomas Larry Shows, Sr. and David Michael Shows, and his wife of over fifty years, Priscilla Walker Shows.

Derek is survived by his daughters, Deanna Liss-Clarke (Greg), Elizabeth Shows Caffey, and his sons, Dathan Shows (Julie) and Devon Shows, seven granddaughters, and two great grandchildren.

Derek received an undergraduate degree with honors from the University of Illinois, where he studied Greek, Latin, and German. He then earned a master's degree in classical philology from the University of Illinois and continued his studies in philology, as well as theology, at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, as a Fulbright Scholar. Derek came to Duke in 1960, initially as an instructor in the Greek department and then transitioned to being a lecturer in the Department of Religion in 1968, a role he maintained until his retirement. In 1967, he earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Duke University, where he later became an Associate Professor of Medical Psychology, with tenure in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. He was among the first psychologists admitted to the Duke-UNC Psychoanalytic Institute to study psychoanalysis. Additional training included a fellowship at the C. G. Jung Institute in Zurich, Switzerland. As the director of Duke's Clinical Psychology internship program for 23 years, he guided the program into achieving a national standing as a top ranked internship.

Derek was also a man of deep faith, as he completed a certificate in Anglican studies from the General Theological Seminary in New York City and became an ordained Episcopal priest in the Diocese of North Carolina in 1983. He faithfully served St. Stephen's for 42 years, including multiple terms as interim rector and as priest associate. On behalf of St. Stephen's, he co-led the Diocesan Honduras Medical Mission trips for 10 years. He also served as interim priest for the mission parish, El Buen Pastor.

For the last 10 years of his life, Derek loved travel, reading, a good glass of wine, Duke basketball, and any time he could spend with family and friends.

A memorial service will be held 2:00 p.m. Sunday, December 7, 2025, at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church.

The service will be live-streamed at www.ssecdurham.org

The family is under the care of Hall-Wynne Funeral Service, Inc.