Kees de Jong is no longer with us.

Because of his stubbornly resilient health, we used to joke (half teasing, half hoping) that weeds never die. But now the time has come. My mentor is no more.

Kees worked for over 40 years as an anatomist and embryologist at Amsterdam UMC. In that time, he taught the anatomy and embryology of the thorax, abdomen, and pelvis to around 20,000 future doctors, radiologists and surgeons. And what a teacher he was: calm, clear and endlessly patient.

I’ll never forget the hundreds of hours he sat next to me during the creation of the 3D Embryo Atlas, always with a cup of black coffee (sweeteners included) in hand. While I was struggling to orient myself in the complexity of embryonic structures, Kees (with angelic patience) showed me the subtleties, the connections, and the elegance of human development. He saw things I couldn’t see yet, and he taught me to look deeper.

He also loved teaching abroad. Every year, he gave plastination workshops in Murcia, Spain, where he was always welcomed with open arms. And even in the later years of his career, he traveled to Hangzhou, China, to share his deep anatomical knowledge with great joy and enthusiasm.

He remained incredibly engaged with the next generation, even online, on LinkedIn, he actively followed and commented on the work and careers of countless former students, always encouraging, always thoughtful.

Thursday nights, you’d often find him at the Epsteinbar, where his wit, stories, and dry sense of humor made him a beloved presence.

Even after retiring, Kees remained involved. He would often stop by to check in on our research group’s progress; curious, generous, always ready to help, always humble. His anatomical knowledge seemed limitless. His kindness, too.

The world has lost a gifted anatomist and embryologist, and we have lost a dear colleague, mentor, and friend.

We will miss you deeply, Kees.

In memoriam.

dr. Bernadette de Bakker

PS: One of the 3D Atlas students once made this drawing of Kees, capturing him perfectly in his role as a lecturer