McGrath was a member of the show’s original cast in the 60s.

This week, it was announced that Bob McGrath, a member of the original cast of children’s program Sesame Street and a longtime part of the show, had passed away in his home. He was 90 years old.

“The McGrath family has some sad news to share. Our father Bob McGrath, passed away today. He died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family,” McGrath’s family said in a statement on Facebook.

McGrath first appeared as Bob Johnson, a neighbor character in the original Sesame Street pilot. He would go on to appear in the show for 47 seasons before finally departing in 2017. In addition to acting in the show, McGrath was a skilled musician who lent his skills to the creation of several famous Sesame Street songs like “People in Your Neighborhood” and “Sing a Song.”

“A founding cast member, Bob embodied the melodies of Sesame Street like no one else, and his performances brought joy and wonder to generations of children around the world,” The Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization that runs the show, wrote on Twitter. “We will be forever grateful for his many years of passionate creative contributions to Sesame Street and honored that he shared so much of his life with us.”

“Words cannot begin to express what Bob meant to me: a role model, a mentor, a friend. His kindness and wicked sense of humor were such a joy, and I loved him so much,” cast member Alan Muraoka wrote on Instagram. “Rest well my friend. You did good.”