Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

As the Oak Bluffs beat reporter for the Gazette in 1982 and 1983, I found myself in many meetings prolonged by the persistent inquiries of Linda Marinelli. She usually criticized me for missing the point of her diatribes and she thought I was lazy for failing to investigate the East Chop Beach Club land mess, a story she assured me would win a Pulitzer Prize.

At some point it dawned on me that Mrs. Marinelli would make an interesting story, and naturally she agreed. She invited me to her house one afternoon and gave me enough material to fill a notebook. I had a hard time cutting the profile down to newspaper size.

In 30 years of doing journalism, most community activists I’ve met were pale imitations of Linda Marinelli. They hadn’t done their homework, worried too much about what others thought or gave up too quickly.

Thanks to Julia Wells and the Gazette for the candid, affectionate tribute to Mrs. Marinelli.

Jim Kelly, Honolulu