Mark York, known for his recurring role in The Office as paraplegic property manager Billy Merchant, has died at the age of 55. People reports, citing York’s obituary, that the actor passed away from a “brief and unexpected†illness in Ohio on May 19. The obituary also stated that York had recently sidelined acting to pursue a career as an inventor, and he had obtained two patents for his inventions. Prior to that, York established himself as a reliably funny recurring character on The Office: As Billy Merchant, he appeared in several episodes as Scranton Business Park’s sensible manager up until season five of the sitcom, co-starring in memorable episodes such as “Casino Night†and “The Injury.†York, who became paraplegic after a car accident in 1988, also guest-starred in shows that included CSI: New York and 8 Simple Rules.