Opie’s mom, Mary, died from an illness when Opie was just a baby.
In the context of the television show “The Andy Griffith Show,” Opie Taylor is the son of Sheriff Andy Taylor. Opie’s mother, Mary, is mentioned as having passed away due to an illness when Opie was only a few months old. This backstory is not heavily focused on within the show, but it is understood that her death left Andy to raise Opie on his own, with the help of Aunt Bee, who comes to live with them and take care of the household. The absence of Opie’s mother is a poignant part of the show’s setting, emphasizing the strong bond between father and son and the close-knit community of Mayberry that supports them.