Opie’s mom passed away when he was just a baby.
In the context of “The Andy Griffith Show,” Opie Taylor, played by Ron Howard, is the son of Sheriff Andy Taylor. The show does not delve deeply into the backstory of Opie’s mother, but it is mentioned that she died when Opie was very young. This leaves Andy as a widower and single father, raising Opie with the help of his Aunt Bee, who comes to live with them and take care of the household. The absence of Opie’s mother is a premise that is established early in the series and remains a consistent background detail throughout the show’s run. The cause of her death is never explicitly discussed in the series, as the focus is more on the present lives of the characters in the fictional town of Mayberry.