Tara Kay McCullough

Tara Kay McCullough, age 55 of Ashland, MT passed away on the morning of July 28, 2018. Tara was born in Sheridan, Montana, August 25, 1962. She went home with her parents Harold and Mary Ann Irion McCullough to live on the Goodspeed/Beam homestead on Otter Creek. In 1964, the family moved to Ashland. In 1968, Tara began Ashland public school and completed all eight grades. In 1976, she began the ninety-mile a day bus ride to high school in Broadus. She graduated from Powder River County District High School in 1980.

After graduation, Tara attended Barber School and had barber shops in Colstrip, Broadus, and Ashland. She also worked as camp cook and bookkeeper for Cedar Breaks Outfitters with friends John Stuver and Rick Gatlin. In 1992, she changed careers and worked as property manager for Tamarack Properties at Cheyenne Village in Ashland at St. Labre. While working at St. Labre she met Rick Wells and they were married November 15, 1997. Tara acquired an instant family in Rick's two children by a former marriage; Kris and Marshall. In 1999 Rick and Tara moved to FT. Collins, Colorado. During Rick and Tara's years in Ft. Collins, their niece Kimberly Miller lived with them and attended school in Ft. Collins. While in Ft. Collins, Tara attended Front Range Community College and completed a degree in nursing. Tara worked her way through nursing school while working for Front Range Community College in their high school programs. After graduation she continued to work at Front Range teaching nursing and in other Allied Health programs. In September of 2008 Rick, Tara and Kim returned to Ashland. Along with Tara's mother, Mary Ann, they took over ownership of Green's Grocery Store, renaming it T&R Trading, while taking care of the bookwork at the store. Tara also worked as a nurse at Ashland Community Health Center. Her duties at the health center included two days a week as the school nurse at St. Labre. After Rick's death in 2015, Tara returned to work at T&R Trading, where at the time of her death she and her mother were operating the store.

Tara is survived by her mother Mary Ann Irion McCullough, her Aunt Glenda Irion Somers, Brother Tom Yellowtail, niece Kimberly Ann Miller, nephews Lonnie and James Miller, step children Marshall Wells, and Kris Bartlett, first cousins Kyra Somers, Harla Somers, Kristie Milam, and Douglas Irion, as well as McCullough cousins. Tara was proceeded in death by her husband Rick Wells, her father Harold McCullough, sister Tami Ann McCullough, and her first cousin Lara Somers, uncle Robert Irion, and his wife Venita Irion.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, August 2, 2018 at 1:30 p.m. at St. Labre Catholic Church. Memorials may be made to the charity of one's choice. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting: http://www.stevensonandsons.com.