OHIO (WJW) — Actor Mark York, best known for his role in “The Office,” passed away in Ohio after a brief, unexpected illness.

According to his obituary, York, 55, died early May 19 at Miami Valley Hospital.

York, who played Billy Merchant on “The Office,” has been paraplegic since 1988. According to his obituary, he has been working as an inventor for the past several years and obtained two patents for his inventions.

York graduated from Arcanum High School in Arcanum, Ohio. He then was a triple major graduate from Anderson University in Indiana. The Cincinnati Reds and Ohio State were among his favorite sports teams.

York was best known as Billy Merchant in “The Office.” But he also appeared in shows including “CSI: New York.”

“He had such an outgoing, uplifting, positive attitude and personality. He always tried to look at what he could accomplish and do, not what he couldn’t do,” his obituary states.