Margaret Mary Ell was born to Andrew O’Neil and Agnes Duggan on February 3, 1948. She was the second of four daughters in the O’Neil household. As a child and an adult, Margaret became known as Peggy. She grew up in Maplewood and attended Our Lady of Sorrows Elementary School in South Orange. Peggy then attended Archbishop Walsh High School in Irvington. Following graduation, Peggy received a BA from the College of St. Elizabeth and an MA from Georgian Court University in Computer Technology.