To the editor:

Earlier this month we laid to rest a man I thought of as a father. Turns out, a lot of people thought of him as their father.

Joe LeBrun was born in 1941 , to a big Polish family. As I heard people tell stories, I came to understand that even as a young boy, he knew how to make people feel welcome. So it was a perfect match when he left Wellesley Trucking in the mid 1970’s and bought a small deli in the heart of Wellesley.

If you ask anyone who lives here where they can get a sub sandwich, the answer will be The Linden Store. And yes, their sandwiches are amazing. But what makes the Linden Store stand out is the feeling you get when you walk in. Joe would be at the middle counter or in the parking lot to greet you. His sons, Mark and Greg, (who are my son’s godparents), will be behind the counter taking orders and giving smiles. His wife, and chief partner, Bonnie, will be on the phone taking call-in orders.

The Linden Store is a well-oiled family driven business that serves not only sandwiches, but also the latest news of the day. People come in to ask if it’s going to snow, comment on sports wins and losses, and find out who’s building that new construction down the street. Mothers bring babies, families bring grandparents, and thanks to Joe LeBrun, everyone feels welcome.

Yesterday, as we drove in procession from the church to the cemetery, the hearse took a final lap through the parking lot of the store. Joe would have liked that.

It will be hard to walk in next week knowing he’s gone. But his legacy lives on in his wife, two sons, and six grandchildren.

Stop by the Linden Store if you find yourself in Wellesley. Thanks to Joe, you’ll always feel like it’s home.

M.A. Tarver Gallerani