Mrs. Leela Sircar Nowka, 66, of Nebbs Trail, Mocksville, died Sunday, Jan. 7, 2018 at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem.

She was born Jan. 23, 1951, in Nairobi, Kenya (Indian High Commission) to the late Eric and Ruth Pather Sircar. She graduated in 1972 from Isabella Thoburn Women’s College, a Methodist College in Lucknow, India where she earned a bachelor’s degree (chemistry, physics, mathematics). She had a 20-year career in the Indian Diplomatic Service in the following locations: Tunis, Lisbon, Aden, Washington D.C, Katmandu, and New Delhi. She retired from government service in 2010, while serving in New Delhi. She worked in the Ministry of External Affairs as second secretary. She became interested in art after graduating from college. She was encouraged and influenced by her uncle, Acharya Pather, a gifted realist painter. She also studied art under Sylva Monteleone (impressionist artist) while in Tunis. In 2008, she was in charge of the “Object D’ Art Cell” in the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi. The cell provided art to dignitaries and Indian Embassies.  She had performed two exhibitions of her work at the “Lalit Kala Academy” in New Delhi.  She married Steve Nowka of Manassas, Va. in 2012, and moved to Mocksville in August 2017.

Survivors: her husband of the home; 3 brothers-in-law, Neal Nowka of Oklahoma, Paul Nowka of Nevada and Craig Nowka (Kris) of Alabama; and special friends, Kim Bennett, Lulu Lopez, Ardell Carter and Joy Savage.

A funeral service will be conducted at 2 p.m., Sunday, Jan,. 14 at Eaton Funeral Chapel with Dr. Glenn L. Myers Jr. officiating.  Burial will follow in Rose Cemetery.   

Condolences: www.eatonfuneralservice.com.