Bill Byrge, Actor from “Ernest” Movies, Dies at 86: 'If You Met Him, You Liked Him'

Bill Byrge, an actor best known for his role in the Ernest movies with Jim Varney, has died, PEOPLE can confirm. He was 86.

Byrge's cousin Sharon Chapman announced his death on Facebook Thursday, Jan. 9, and PEOPLE confirmed the news of Byrge's death with Chapman on Friday, Jan. 10.

Byrge is credited with roles in seven movies and one Ernest television show. Byrge portrayed the character Bobby in the Ernest movies opposite Jim Varney's Ernest P. Worrell.

The films and television series followed the adventures of Ernest — who began as a character Varney played in commercials — and Bobby, one of Ernest's neighbors. Byrge's character was also initially developed as part of a series of similar commercials known as "me and my brother Bobby" spots.

Chapman tells PEOPLE a memorial service will be held for Byrge in Nashville in the coming days.

"Billy was what some people would call an odd character. He was raised and taught about faith in God. He was taught to be respectful to women," she says. "If you met him, you liked him. He was just that type of person. He was friends with a lot of celebrities."

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Chapman says Byrge worked at a library in Nashville for his entire career and first connected with a producer for the Ernest movies when they spotted him "walking down the street one day." 

"If you saw Billy in person, I mean, he was a little character. He was a jokester at times. Anyways, Billy just had this way about him and you obviously noticed him automatically, no matter where he was at," Chapman says. "That's how he got started in movies. And he was reluctant. He didn't want to leave his day job. He said the only way is if he could keep his day job, he would do it."

"The other thing was he didn't want to talk in the movies. He just didn't. And the producer says, with his looks and his little quirkiness and everything, he didn't have to speak," she adds. "That's what was funny about it. He had this way of making faces."

Chapman wrote in her Facebook post, "My cousin Bill Byrge passed away in the Nashville area today at 12pm. He was a beautiful soul who made people laugh without even trying. He was the 'Bobby' character in several Ernest movies with Jim Varney. I always teased him of being a 'star' in our family. He deserved it as raised poor, but his momma taught him love, respect, and faith which he showed to everyone."

"Heaven gained a sweet soul today," Chapman added. "Love you, Billy. See you soon!"

Varney died in February 2000 at age 50 of lung cancer. The actor — who portrayed Ernest for the first time in a 1972 commercial and later starred in four Disney-produced movies as the character — had been sick since 1998.

Chapman tells PEOPLE Byrge never married and did not have any children. She says he was "really good friends" with Deadpool & Wolverine actress Leslie Uggams, with whom he "corresponded back and forth." 

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