Silky Sullivan was found dead in his stall at his last home in Pleasanton, California, on November 18, 1977, dying in his sleep at the age of 22. Kjell Qvale was undergoing heart surgery when the horse died. Alice Campbell, wife of his last keeper (trainer Emmett Campbell), phoned the Qvale family with the news; Mrs. Qvale felt it fortunate that Kjell was still groggy when told of Silky Sullivan's death, since he loved him. "There was no horse like him," said Kjell. "He was a gentleman. He'd let children walk under his belly, let them sit on his back and kick him giddy-up...but let an adult try that, and he'd—very gently—remove them. Silky was a person, a unique person, and I miss him."