Volume 9, Number 1
May 1996

In Memoriam: Klaus Hendriks, May 27, 1996

Three e-mail notices of Klaus Hendriks' death were received this morning from professionals in three countries, friends of his.

David Grattan of the Canadian Conservation Institute sent a personal note, saying Klaus would be sorely missed there, and attaching the e-mail message that was circulated through CCI. It was from Cliff McCawley, dated May 27:

Sadly, I have to inform you of the death of Klaus Hendriks early this morning. Below you will find the announcement prepared by the Hendriks family.

Klaus B. Hendriks
September 27, 1937 - May 27, 1996
Hamburg, Germany - Kemptville, Canada

Klaus graduated in 1971 at the University of Alberta in Edmonton with a Ph.D. in Carbohydrate Chemistry. After spending four years in the Department of Biochemistry, Laval University in Quebec City, Klaus joined the Technical Division of the National Archives Canada in 1975, in a position called "Photo Conservation Chemist." In 1977 he became Chief, then Director of the Picture Conservation Division. In 1991, he became Director of the newly formed Conservation Research Division, which was transferred in the spring of 1994 to the Canadian Conservation Institute. Klaus will sadly be missed by his friends and colleagues.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated. Visitation will be held at Hulse, Playfair & McGarry, 315 McLeod St., Ottawa, on Thursday, May 30 from 7 to 9 p.m. and the funeral service will be held in the chapel on Friday May 31, 1996 at 11:00 a.m.

From Doug Nishimura, Rochester, NY:

It is with deep regret that I announce the passing of Dr. Klaus B. Hendriks, May 27 from cancer. Dr. Hendriks was one of the first people involved in photograph preservation research who was not associated with industry. Ultimately his interests broadened to include the preservation of paper-based and non-paper-based archival materials including digital. Right to the end, Klaus was reading and writing material for the preservation of archival materials.

He was a consultant to UNESCO as well as an independent member of ANSI Committee IT9 dealing with the physical properties and permanence of imaging materials.

Outside of the lab, Dr. Hendriks was an avid canoeist. He was also the only producer of maple syrup in Eastern Canada with a Ph.D. in sugar chemistry.

He is survived by his wife Genevieve Samson, a conservator.

From Mogens S. Koch, Copenhagen:

Klaus B. Hendriks from Canada has passed away early Monday morning. He was the founder of the ICOM-CC working group Photographic Records and since the last meeting of ICOM-CC, assistant coordinator. He was a great person in the field of photographic conservation.

He will be missed.