06/03/2026
It is with a heavy heart that we share that Tim Beaton passed away.
Some of you knew Tim well and worked alongside him to help create the Cass Clay Community Land Trust. Others may not realize just how instrumental he was in bringing the idea of a community land trust to life in our region.
Tim had an entrepreneurial mind that lived somewhere between “What are you thinking?” and “What a genius idea.” And somehow, those “what are you thinking?” ideas often became something truly visionary. Pride, determination, and a healthy dose of stubbornness were his secret ingredients.
Those qualities led directly to the creation of the Cass Clay Community Land Trust.
After the 2015 Workforce Study revealed the depth of our region’s affordable housing shortage, Tim, then Executive Director of the FM Area Foundation, didn’t just acknowledge the problem. He took action. He dove into learning what other communities were doing, discovered the land trust model, and rallied a group of volunteers to explore whether it could work here. Once they realized it could, Tim and the original Board began educating the public, building relationships, and securing the resources needed to make it real. In 2018, the FM Area Foundation announced the creation of a community land trust as a solution to the workforce housing challenge.
Tim was, and will always be, the driving force behind Cass Clay CLT. Without his dedication and persistence, this community asset simply would not exist. There were moments when the challenges were heavy and the path forward was unclear, but Tim kept going because he believed deeply in what this could mean for families in our region.
Today, because of his vision, 30 households, and many more to come, have achieved their dream of homeownership.
Tim accomplished something many of us hope to achieve, he left the community better than he found it. Nearly a year ago, during a visit to Fargo, Tim stopped by our office. We shared what we were working on, he smiled and said, “Thank you for making my dream come true.”
Tim will be deeply missed. His impact will be felt for generations. And while we say goodbye, all of us at Cass Clay CLT remain committed to carrying his vision forward and continuing the work he began.
Thank you, Tim. Your legacy lives on in every home, every family, and every future homeowner who finds stability because you believed this was possible.
To honor Tim's legacy, we have created the Tim Beaton Cass Clay Community Land Trust Legacy fund. Gifts made to this fund will ensure Tim's legacy of leaving the community better than he found it by supporting Cass Clay Community Land Trust's efforts to develop forever affordable housing opportunities throughout the region.
https://www.inforum.com/obituaries/obits/timothy-joseph-beaton-qyorfts2wdm8dnbk3j5p
To leave a legacy in Tim's honor visit: https://fargo.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=3661
Timothy Joseph Beaton, 77, passed away suddenly at his home in Crossville, TN on May 19, 2026.
