William Arthur Foraker, son of Mike and Phyllis Foraker, died on Sunday, January 15th in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  William, 44 years of age, died after a long-term battle with mental illness.

As a child, Will’s first loves were baseball and fishing.  He played baseball through his Highschool years and was a starting pitcher for his Thousand Oaks California Lancers high school team.  Will started his fishing career as a child in Mammoth Lakes California fishing the lakes and streams there as a child, later developing a passion for deep-sea fishing spending many days offshore chasing tuna and other large fish along the California coast and into Mexico.  

After highschool, Will went on to study at UCLA, earning degrees in both History and Political Science.  In his Senior year at UCLA, he spent two quarters studying at The U.C. in D.C. Political Science Center where he interned at the Woodrow Wilson Study Center.

Since moving to Colorado 7 years ago, Will became very proficient at the art of fly fishing.  It’s no exaggeration to say that he has probably fished every mile of every fishable stream and reservoir in a 75-mile radius.  Some of his favorite spots were Deckers Canyon, the Arkansas River, the South Platte River, and 11 Mile Reservoir, as well as many of the rivers and streams up through the Western slope into Utah and Wyoming. 

Will was a kind and caring person, a loving son, and a generous brother.  He had a heart as big as the sky, and all who were fortunate enough to know him will miss him deeply.  

Will is survived by his parents, Phyllis and Mike Foraker, brothers Mark and John Foraker, Sister-in-Law Amy Foraker, nephew Cameron Foraker, and niece Jordan Foraker.  He is also survived by 4 aunts; Fay Foraker, Doris Hopper, Carol Foraker, Anette Russo, and an uncle, Larry Foraker.  Will also had many cousins including Tony Di Guglielmo, Angela Brown, Declan Brown, Lucy Cianciulli, Peterpaul Cianciulli, Anthony Russo, Charles Hopper, Robert Hopper, Linda Foraker, Mike Foraker, and Debbie Foraker.

William, you will remain in our hearts and minds forever.  May you rest in blessed peace.