Although Skolem was approaching 76 years of age when he died, his death was totally unexpected since he was still an extremely active and highly productive mathematician:
Kahit Skolem ay 76 na taong gulang ang edad kapag siya namatay, ang kanyang kamatayan ay ganap na di-inaasahang mula noong siya ay labis pa rin ng isang mataas na aktibo at produktibong dalubbilang: