In memoriam: Dallas Tomniuk

Dallas Tomniuk, a valued staff member in the University Centre Farquhar Auditorium, passed away May 22 following a motorcycle accident in Tofino. He was a gentle, kind, good-humoured and giving member of the UVic team, and will be greatly missed by all who knew and worked with him. 

Tomniuk held the position of assistant technical director at the auditorium, where he had been employed since 2003. Through nearly 13 years with the auditorium, Tomniuk was the audio engineer for more than 120 events every year. A talented sound technician with a far-reaching reputation, Dallas mixed audio for world-renowned artists including B.B. King, Raffi, John Cleese, David Foster, Nelly Furtado, Wynton Marsalis, Nana Mouskouri, The Kingston Trio, Martin Short, Randy Bachman, and many others.

Dallas was a veteran supporter of UVic ceremonies and events, taking care of the audio requirements for 133 UVic Convocation ceremonies. He also mixed audio for Victoria’s Ska Festival for several years, helping countless internationally renowned musicians bring joy to their audiences.

“Dallas worked hard to ensure that audiences and artists had the very best experience,” says Ian Case, the Farquhar’s director. “It didn’t matter to Dallas if he was mixing audio for B.B. King, UVic Convocation, a high school rock band, or an elementary school ukulele festival—everyone got the same attention and professionalism. He wanted everything to be the best it could be and to make sure that everyone he worked with had fun while doing it.” 

Outside work, Tomniuk was an avid motorcyclist, participating in many annual events—often outshining professional riders. He loved camping, boating, sitting around the campfire telling stories and jokes and spending time with family and friends.

Tomniuk leaves behind his loving wife Lindsey, two sons Ryder (5 yrs) and Theo (16 mos), his sister Dionne and brother Nick. He is survived by his mother Patricia and stepfather Lloyd.

Tomniuk’s mother wrote a poem about Dallas a few years ago, and had it published in a collection of works. A couplet from that poem is posted inside the Farquhar production offices, perfectly capturing Dallas: “Loving, kind, fun, and daring. / Never sassy, always caring.”

Donations are being accepted to the Tomniuk Family Support Fund to provide for his young family: gofundme.com/265ekecc​