"Billy just had this way about him and you obviously noticed him automatically no matter where he was at," Bill Byrge's cousin Sharon Chapman tells PEOPLE

Bill Byrge, an actor recognizable from his work in the Ernest movies, died on Thursday (Jan. 9), TMZ reports. He was 92. While no cause of death has been disclosed yet, the late actor’s cousin Sharon Chapman announced the news of Byrge’s death on Facebook, noting that he died yesterday at around noon in Nashville.

His cousin, Sharon Chapman, announced the news on her Facebook page on Thursday.  “My cousin, Bill Byrge, passed away in the Nashville area today at 12pm. He was a beautiful soul who made people

Bill Byrge, the actor who portrayed Bobby in the Ernest movies, has died at 92, his cousin shared on social media. Byrge played a supporting role in the schlocky yet beloved comedy franchise, which emerged out of an ad campaign centered around Jim Varney’s now-iconic character,

"He was a beautiful soul who made people laugh without even trying," his cousin, Sharon Chapman, wrote on Facebook.

Character actor Bill Byrge, best known for appearing alongside Jim Varney in the Ernest films, has passed away. According Byrge's cousin, Sharon Chapman (via Facebook), Byrge died on Thursday, Jan. 9.

Bill Byrge, known for his iconic role as Bobby in the Ernest movies, leaves behind a legacy of laughter and kindness.

Bill Byrge, an actor who appeared in many of the “Ernest” comedy films as “Bobby,” died on Thursday at the age of 92 in Nashville, Tenn. Byrge’s cousin, Sharon Chapman, confirmed his death in a Facebook post.

Bill Byrge, a former librarian who found fame as a recurring actor in the Ernest film series, passed away on January 9 in Nashville. The franchise fan favorite was 92 years old. His passing was confirmed by his cousin,