Peggy O’Neil Vincent, 79, was freed from pain on November 23rd, 2024, following a decades-long battle with multiple sclerosis. Her passing fulfilled an enduring wish to conclude this earthy life among loving family in her Gallatin Gateway home.
Peggy was born on September 9th, 1945, at Columbus Hospital in Seattle, Washington, to Margaret (Doody) and Leonard “Lenny” O’Neil.
The eldest of three, she and her brother, Danny, and sister, Letty, led a structured youth under the watchful eye of their lawman father, who served as Chief of Police in the Emerald City.
She exceled from a young age, receiving high marks in school, earning her own salary in a local bakery, and as a supportive big sister to her siblings.
She first met her husband, John, who was enrolled at Seattle University, in the aisle of the grocery store where he was working. After a time of courtship, they married in 1964 and together raised one child, Julia.
The family moved to Bozeman in 1971 where John pursued dual careers as a schoolteacher and politician.
She attended Montana State University, seeking a degree in counseling, and spoke fondly of her favorite elective course, ‘Mysteries of the Sky.’ She also worked in administration, helping run a local ophthalmology office.
MS sadly cut both paths short, being officially diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disorder in 1990. She was incredibly active with designs on marathon running as her symptoms became more prevalent in the years preceding diagnosis.
Always the good sport, she continued to raise her daughter and support her husband’s endeavors, both in Bozeman and Helena.
As Peggy’s neurological issues continued to wear on her mobility, eventually leaving her wheelchair bound, she and John built a single-level home and relocated to Gallatin Gateway where life with a progressive disability could be better accommodated.
She took the change of scenery in stride, quickly adapting to country living full of long days in the yard where she and her husband shared a passion for appeasing the local birdlife whose habitat they felt was disrupted.
She spent countless hours enjoying the natural surroundings of her home, tickled by every bouncing bunny and furry passerby. In later summers, her most cherished activity was tipping back in her chair to let the morning sunshine pour over her face.
Peggy was an avid quilter, contributing to community projects and sewing up designs for home display. From her craft studio, she created keepsakes of all varieties to showcase her expression and have something original to gift when occasion struck.
She loved making scrap paper for notes using catalog trimmings, and Christmas tags with ornamental stickers to be used for gifts or hung on the tree.
She loved to cook from family recipes and fun new finds, always ready with a traditional spread for the holidays and spoiled her loved ones for every milestone.
A highlight every year, she loved the annual visit from her sister, niece, Katie, and great-nephew, Max, as a bookend to the sunny season. Brother in-law Jeff and nephew Jake sometimes joined, enhancing the reunion for all. Their porchside conversations warmed her soul ahead of each Montana winter.
She loved Sunday drives to collect wildflowers, fleece tops, Jeopardy! and PBS; baking, audiobooks and a good laugh; Santa Claus and snowmen figurines were always prominently displayed, and she most enjoyed being cozy at home.
She loved what she said became “a simple life,” a remarkable woman who was anything but ordinary.
Of all the things Peggy loved, she was most endeared by her role as “Gram.” She watched over her grandson, Kirk, as he grew, ensuring his best interests were realized and that he develop a character based in virtue and the value of hard work.
She waved goodbye as he boarded the school bus, helped with homework and was but a phone call away when distance separated them.
She encouraged him to follow his dreams and was an open ear for solutions, always a source for sage advice. They shared a ‘good luck’ handshake, a ritual performed by the whole family as required.
As she and her husband’s needs increased, her grandson stepped into the role of caregiver. These were challenging years that pushed all limits but reminded the twin flames of their eternal affection and mutual respect.
“It’s hell to get old,” she’d say quoting her father, as her days gradually became more difficult. Though her body would ultimately fail an indelible spirit, she strove to be the very best she could be in every day of her life. She followed a daily health regimen, choosing to live well despite great limitation.
Peggy’s twilight years would underscore the cruelties of chronic illness but also the enormity of her resilience. She endured a lifetime of struggle but did so with humility and grace, advocating for herself at every turn. Her final months brought forth a courageousness those fortunate enough to know her will always recognize with immeasurable pride.
Peggy was preceded in death by her father and mother, Leonard and Margaret O’Neil; brother, Danny O’Neil; brother in-law, William “Bill” Vincent; and sister in-law Jennie Vincent Donofrio.
She is survived by her husband, John Vincent; daughter, Julia Vincent; and grandson, John Kirk Vincent, of Gallatin Gateway, MT; sister, Letty (Jeff) Anderson; niece, Katie (Anderson) Bravo; and great-nephew, Max Bravo, of Bend, OR; nephew, Jake (Liang) Anderson, of Klamath Falls, OR; sister in-law, Shirley O’Neil; nieces, Jennifer (Lance) Denham and Lisa O’Neil; nephew, Ryan O’Neil; great-nephews Merrick and Garrett Denham; and great-niece Danielle Denham, all of the greater Seattle, WA, area.
Our wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend leaves us in a time of grievous loss, remedied only with a patchwork of joyous memories to draw from. She will be loved and forever missed as we envision Peggy back up on her feet, reuniting with her parents and brother in celestial paradise.
A Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family gratefully requests donations be made to the National MS Society in Peggy’s memory, to support other families navigating life with disability and a continued fight to end the disease.
Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com
