'Celebration of life' or calling hours? Hard feelings follow event at Sterling restaurant

Yahoo

24-05-2025

STERLING — The death of a Fitchburg man and a subsequent event to honor his life has resulted in a dispute between some of his family and a local restaurant.
It also spilled over into social media, where many commenters have weighed in.
The epicenter of the disagreement is Barber's Crossing North in Sterling, where the family booked a function room for a 'Celebration of Matthew's Life.'
That is how the May 18 event was noted in Matthew Dube's obituary. He died April 30 at 43 after a short illness, leaving behind his father, two brothers, his wife, two stepchildren and other family members.
After the event, a Facebook post from Alicia Brown, Dube's stepdaughter, claimed the restaurant overcharged the family by $1,500. 'They did us wrong and it sucks," the post said.
Brown told the Telegram & Gazette that it was never about the food or quality of service. It was miscommunication, largely on the part of the restaurant. "They messed up," she said.
Aolani Brown, Dube's wife, declined to comment.
Matthew Wallace, whose family owns Barber's Crossing North, disputes the narrative from Alicia Brown. Wallace said he 'feels awful that a young father died so suddenly, but I also have a business to run.'
Wallace noted that his restaurant has operated for 30 years, and has hosted many luncheons for families after services held at funeral homes. What happened at Barber's Crossing on May 18, said Wallace, was calling hours for a funeral, not a celebration of life.
He said he based his determination on how many people showed up at his restaurant. "The swell of people was incredible," he said.
The guest count reached 150 — a conservative estimate, said Wallace — for a reservation of 100. The crowd spilled over into other parts of the restaurant, and the guests filled up his parking lot, with Wallace lamenting that spaces were taken up for other customers.
As for the bill, Wallace said it was made clear to the family during booking that it was $29.99 per head, plus tax and gratuity, and that those charges would also apply to any guests above 100.
Wallace said his staff went over the details and charges with the family several times before May 20.
Brown's post noted the family had been in contact with the restaurant for at least a week beforehand to make sure everything was in order. It also mentioned that Barber's Crossing was her mother's and Matthew Dube's favorite date-night Keno spot.
The total cost for the 'celebration of life' that was arranged with the restaurant was roughly $3,900, said Brown's post, that included the $29.99 per person charge for 100 people, taxes, tip, and $120 for two cheese plates.
While the event ran smoothly for the most part, according to the post, the unexpected happened when the bill came. It was for 150 people, increasing the total amount by $1,500 before taxes.
A total of 108 people signed the guest book, said Brown's post, and the family was told by restaurant management that it would be charged for 150 guests. Wallace said the final bill was approximately $6,000, and that it was paid.
'I'm disappointed in barbers,' reads Brown's post, which noted the family has held gatherings at the restaurant over the years. 'The restaurant knew it was a celebration of life. I don't know why they are saying it was calling hours.'
Meanwhile, a representative for Dube's father, John Dube, and his brothers, Andrew and Stephen Dube, told the Telegram & Gazette that they side with the restaurant's position that it was calling hours, that the total amount the restaurant charged is appropriate, and that they don't support what the stepdaughter posted on social media.
"It's sad to think that," Alicia Brown told the T&G of the position taken by the other side of the family. She explained that her late father never wanted calling hours. "He wanted a celebration of his life, and we tried to get it for him."
Going forward, Wallace said, he'll have signed contracts with all parties that clearly spell out all charges and expectations. That's not how Wallace used to do business, he said, as all details and charges were discussed in-person or by email.
Brown also mentioned in her post the importance of a contract.
"We now know in the future to have a contract written out or pre payment before the event.'
Some social media posts were sympathetic to Alicia Brown's accounting of events, while others wondered why the family would hold calling hours at a restaurant.
Brown is moving on.
"I'm done telling the story over and over," her post said. "Two sides to every story right. Make your own opinion. Just sharing our experiences."
Contact Henry Schwan at [e-mail]. Follow him on X: @henrytelegram.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Was Barber's Crossing event a celebration of life, or calling hours?