Betty Jean Harden-Eley, 60, of 904 Ann St., Portsmouth, Va., died Friday, June 3, 2011, after a longtime illness, at Maryview Medical Center in Portsmouth. She was a native of Suffolk, Va., and the daughter of the late Raymond Lee Towns Sr. and Lillie Mae Towns. She was predeceased by her sister, Rosa Lee Towns.

Her last employment was with the Tidewater Occupational Center in Suffolk.

She leaves to cherish her memory: her husband, Bobby Eley; two daughters, Tammy Simms and Sierra Eley, both of Portsmouth; three sons, Troy Harden (Lavette), Ivan Simms Jr. and Terrance Beamon, all of Suffolk; four grandchildren, Aaliyah Simms, Ivan Lee Simms III, Zyren Simms and Kemari Eley; four sisters, Margaret Lawrence, Mary Jean Towns, Catherine Towns and Eva Mae Towns-Hinton (Wayne), all of Suffolk; five brothers, Raymond L. Towns Jr., Roy Lee Towns (Beverly), John A. Towns and Rosevell Towns, all of Suffolk, and Ricky A. Towns (Bernice), of Smithfield; a host of uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m., Thursday, June 9, 2011, at St. Timothy Baptist Church, 1613 E. Washington St., officiated by the Rev. Thomas Harden Jr. Interment will be at Carver Memorial Cemetery. A wake will be from 7 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, June 8, 2011, at the funeral home. Crocker Funeral Home, Inc. is handling the arrangements. Condolences may be extended to the family at www.crockerfuneralhome.com.