While here on this earth for only 17 short years, Cliffton Ray Foster made a great impact on his family and friends. Even as tall and husky as he was, his laugh was always that of a child’s giggle. Innocent in nature and extremely infectious, no one in earshot of his giggle could help from at least smiling, if not fullon bellying laughing with him. All of his family loved his laugh, especially his mother Tabitha.

Cliffton had a fierce passion for technology. His love of video games and digital art meant a lot of time on different devices; but it also meant time with his family. He was never too busy to show his little brother Greyson a few tricks, some of which Cliffton learned from his former stepfather Joe who even showed him how to develop apps. One of his favorite digital games was DND Dungeons & Dragons, which he enjoyed playing weekly with his older brother Avory and sister-in-law Leslie. He enjoyed the complexity of having to unlock hidden treasures and having no limits on what he could do in the game.

Cliffton enjoyed applying the same critical thinking skills that is required for technology to locksport. His enthusiasm for defeating locking systems came from the challenge of the complexity required to do so. Having to anticipate a few steps ahead was a skill he very much thrived on using.

Active in sports and recreation, Cliffton played football, basketball and favorited ice hockey. He also enjoyed fishing, archery, and air soft. He was a water baby, learning how to swim when very little. Later in life he also learned to love paddleboarding, thanks to his grandfather Jared who showed him how by taking him out to a sandbar in Causeway, Florida, near Honeymoon Island. That became Cliffton’s favorite spot and instilled a love of every second in the ocean as well as Florida. Cliffton very much enjoyed time outdoors with family and friends, even recently having one of his best days ever boating with his immediate family that included him lovingly giving bottles on board to his twin baby brothers, Walker and Weston.

While he loved all of his mom’s homemade cooking, his favorite of hers was Chicken Fettucine Alfredo. Just like his uncles, Zac and Danny, anything homemade and with gravy got his attention, as well as the spice and tang of Indian foods. His taste buds were also drawn to sweets, treats and his mother’s savory brownies.

Capturing sweet moments with his old Polaroid camera, Cliffton was also known to randomly snap pics, finding beauty all around him and capturing it forever. His love for photography is something instilled in him by his mom Tabitha, who also has a knack for capturing just the right moment.

His love for music covered a wide span. Genres Cliffton liked ranges from classic rock to rap, and most of everything in-between. One of his favorite songs was “Fortunate Son” by Creedance Clearwater Revival while he also favored artist was XXXTentacion.

Another one of his talents was guitar. Cliffton easily and quickly taught himself how to play from YouTube videos. One year for his mother’s birthday, he even learned to play Happy Birthday, melting her heart that day with his sweet surprise and personal performance.

He and his mother Tabitha shared a love of watching That 70s Show & Ridiculousness and all of the laughs that came with. Cliffton also enjoyed reading & watching the Japanese anime manga series Naruto about a young ninja who dreams of becoming the leader of his village. Little did Cliffton know; he himself was a leader in his own right.

Cliffton had more of a significance on this earth than he realizedand was loved deeply by his family and friends more than he realized. He will be greatly missed more than he could ever fathom, especially by his mom Tabitha.

Leaving this world by suicide, particularly at such a young age,is more than tragic. It’s not even comprehensible to most of us.He was dealing with some inner turmoil that was deeper than any of us realized. As of late, he preferred to go by his middle name, Ray.

We must find peace in the fact that he is now at peace and that we will see him again one day. He is at rest with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Jeremiah 1:5 states “Before you were formed in the womb … I knew you.” He is now with his heavenly Father who loved him first. He is now made perfect. No more pain. No more limits.

Cliffton is survived by his mother Tabitha; brothers Avory, Greyson, Walker, and Weston; former stepfather Joe; many grandparents and great-grandparents, aunts, uncles; Danny, Tristan & Zac, and cousins; Godmothers Tracy, Nicole & MawMaw Shirley; and family friends that considered him as their own.