It was with a sense of shock that we learned of the death of our colleague Kees de Jong in February this year. Kees had been a much-loved and valued member of the plastination world for over twenty years, and he will be much missed. I first met Kees in 2004 at the workshop in Murcia, but it was in 2006, in Vienna, that I got to know him better. I was struck by his patience and good humour, and it was always a pleasure to meet up with him at subsequent ISP meetings. The high regard in which he was held by the plastination community is shown by the warm tributes from the contributors to this heartfelt article. Kees, we salute your memory.
in memoriam; Kees de Jong
Philip Adds St George’s, University of London, London, UK
philadds.anatomy@gmail.com
It was with a sense of shock that we learned of the death of our colleague Kees de Jong in February this year. Kees had been a much-loved and valued member of the plastination world for over twenty years, and he will be much missed. I first met Kees in 2004 at the workshop in Murcia, but it was in 2006, in Vienna, that I got to know him better. I was struck by his patience and good humour, and it was always a pleasure to meet up with him at subsequent ISP meetings. The high regard in which he was held by the plastination community is shown by the warm tributes from the contributors to this heartfelt article. Kees, we salute your memory.
The passing of Kees de Jong is an irreparable loss for the global community of plastinators. For those fortunate enough to have known him personally, it is, above all, the loss of a bright, kind, and truly extraordinary human being.
I first met Kees in 2006 in Vienna at a plastination conference, where he delivered a presentation titled "Principles of Silicone Plastination." He made a powerful impression on me immediately – not only as a highly qualified specialist, but as a person with a distinctive style all his own. I was struck by how clearly and vividly he presented the material, how skillfully he used video and animation, and how readily he answered questions. His professionalism was inseparable from a genuine sense of humor, so the audience invariably felt that plastination is not only a serious science, but a truly fascinating pursuit. His recognizable look – a light shirt, jeans, and the ever-present large bunch of keys on his belt – was as much his trademark as his kind eyes and open smile. As I later came to realize, this style remained unchanged throughout his life.
A few years later, in 2015, I was gathering historical materials about the Dutch anatomist Frederik Ruysch, whose anatomical collection is housed in the Kunstkamera in St. Petersburg. While planning a trip to Amsterdam to visit museums connected with the great Dutch anatomists of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, I wrote to Kees. By that time he had already retired from Amsterdam UMC, where he had worked for over forty years as an anatomist and embryologist, yet he continued to teach and to take part in continuing medical education courses in anatomy. He replied immediately and warmly – and without hesitation invited me to visit. I arrived in September, and we spent two full days together. Kees became my guide to the University of Amsterdam: he spoke about its history and academic traditions, introduced me to colleagues from the Department of Anatomy and to the curator of the anatomical museum, and described the organization of the teaching process, his students, and his mentors. He explained to me the embalming methods used at the Department and the principles of working with anatomical material. But the most vivid impression of all was the plastination laboratory – one that Kees had begun building back in 1991, and in which almost everything had been made by his own hands. The laboratory was his brainchild and a clear reflection of his character: a rational, innovative approach to every task, combined with rare practical skill and a genuine love for his work. Kees was a gifted storyteller – able to explain even the most complex things with ease and clarity, with unfailing warmth and a gentle irony. Being with him was easy, fun, and deeply engaging.
We met again many times at plastination conferences over the years, but I will never forget those two days in Amsterdam. I will always remember Kees de Jong – a remarkable plastinator and, even more importantly, a truly wonderful person who left a lasting mark on my life and on our community.
Dmitry Starchik
President, International Society for Plastination
In December 2010, I attended the X Postgraduate Course on Sheet Plastination (P40 Technique) at the University of Murcia’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Spain. As I was preparing to host the 2011 Interim Meeting on Plastination in Toledo, I used this trip to study the dynamics of the course and workshop, remaining for two days as a guest of Dr. Rafael Latorre.
While in Murcia, I had the privilege of meeting Professor Kees de Jong, a faculty member for the workshop. I was already familiar with his work through the article he co-authored with Dr. Robert Henry, published in the Journal of the International Society for Plastination (J. Int. Soc. Plast 22:2-14, 2007). After attending his lecture on the P40 technique, I was convinced he would be the ideal presenter for our upcoming Toledo meeting. I extended an invitation, which he graciously accepted.
In the corridor of the Laboratory of Plastination at the University of Toledo. From left to right: Carlos Baptista, Gunther von Hagens, Christoph von Horst and Kees de Jong
The 10th International Interim Conference on Plastination in Toledo was graced by an extraordinary group of distinguished speakers, including Drs. Gunther von Hagens, Christoph von Horst, Mircea-Constantin Sora, Robert Henry, and Kees de Jong. Upon his arrival in Toledo, Kees was incredibly generous with his time, helping us organize the laboratory workshops. A natural teacher immediately engaged with our medical students, assisting with conference preparations and even helping unpack the specimens Dr. von Hagens had brought for the exhibit.
Kees’s knowledge of plastination was boundless. His lecture on the basic principles of sheet plastination was remarkable for its precision and detail; he was, in every sense, a perfectionist. You can view his presentation here.
The last time I spoke with Kees was during an online board meeting of the ISP two weeks before his passing. We arrived in the chat room early, providing a quiet moment for me to check on his well-being; he told me he was back in Amsterdam and in good health.
Ralph Waldo Emerson famously said, "A great man is always willing to be little." This humility defined the life of Kees de Jong.
We will truly miss him.
Carlos A. C. Baptista
 Packing the specimens to return to Germany after the conclusion of The 10th Interim meeting in Toledo, July 2011. From left to right: Gunther von Hagens, Carlos Baptista, Kees de Jong, Medical Students in Yellow shirt and Rurik von Hagens |
 Kees de Jong (center) teaching students participating of the workshop in Murcia December 2010. Also in the picture, Octavio Albors (right) |
 Group Photography at the end of a lecture, during the 10th International Interim Conference, Toledo, Ohio, July 2011 |
All the colleagues of the Veterinary Anatomy Unit at the University of Murcia feel a profound gratitude toward Prof. Kees de Jong. Kees first took part in our plastination courses in 2004, coinciding with the 12th International Conference on Plastination in July 2004. From then on, and for the next twenty years, he was one of current teaching specialists of the plastination courses, together with Bob Henry and Constantin Sora. His involvement in the courses was outstanding from the very beginning: he shared his extensive experience in a simple, clear, and remarkably effective way. His commitment did not end when the sessions were over; he kept in touch by email with many of the participants, who sought his advice and found in him a generous source of help for resolving questions and challenges in their laboratories.
Every time he came to the courses, Kees would always spend a few extra days in Murcia. It was an occasion to gather with the family for a meal, and, on many occasions, he prepared some of the dishes himself, as he loved cooking. He truly enjoyed being part of our family life and sharing time with everyone. He always brought something from Amsterdam - curry spices or other cooking ingredients - and he never left Murcia without stopping by the local market “Mercado de Verónicas” to buy local products and take them back with him. He witnessed first-hand how our children grew from little kids to teenagers and into adulthood, and he was always thoughtful about congratulating them on birthdays and other important milestones.
In 2007, we had the opportunity to visit him in Amsterdam. He personally picked us up at the airport and, during our stay, not only showed us in detail all the facilities of his plastination laboratory but also gave us an unforgettable hospitality. We keep very fond memories of that trip - not only for what we learned, but also for the warmth with which he welcomed us.
In 2010, we decided to record step-by-step videos of the main plastination techniques, S10 and P40, and Kees, Bob, and Constantin participated actively, starring in the English versions of the videos. Later, in 2017, we invited him to join the Master’s Course in Biology and Technology of Reproduction in Mammals, aimed at physicians, veterinarians, and embryologists. He accepted immediately and took responsibility for the human anatomy and embryology part. His teaching style - consistently rigorous yet approachable - was always highly appreciated by his students. Particularly noteworthy were his embryology lectures, in which he presented his latest results on human embryo 3D reconstructions. He even brought several beautiful high-fidelity, large-scale 3D-printed models of human embryos at various developmental stages. It was truly admirable to witness how Kees consistently captured the students' attention and interest in both anatomy and embryology. He continued teaching in the Master’s programme up to the current edition, delivering his last lectures in November 2025.
Since joining the Master’s, it resulted that Kees came to Murcia for two weeks each year (Master’s plus Plastination course), and he always repeated how much he loved being here. He confessed that he was the whole year looking forward to returning to Murcia - to gather with friends, enjoy time with families, share meals, and visit nearby places such as the beach or the mountains.
Over all these years, we learned countless things from Kees academically, but for us, the most important part was being able to enjoy his remarkable human warmth and to count on him as a true friend. We shared with him many cherished moments that we will carry in our hearts always. Thank you, Kees!!
Rafael Latorre
