Dave Thomas: Fast Food Giant Early life

Dave Thomas: Fast Food Giant

Early life

Rex David Thomas was born July 2, 1932, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. His biological father's name was Sam and his biological mother's name was Molly. Thomas was adopted between six weeks and six months later by Rex and Auleva Thomas, and as an adult became a well-known advocate for adoption, founding the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. After his adoptive mother's death when he was five, his father moved around the country seeking work.
Thomas spent some of his early childhood near Kalamazoo, Michigan, with his grandmother, Minnie Sinclair, whom he credited with teaching him the importance of service and treating others well and with respect, lessons that helped him in his future business life.

Personal life

Thomas was a Christian. He was married for 47 years to Lorraine Thomas and started his family with her in Upper Arlington, Ohio. In addition to Melinda, they had three more daughters – Pam, Lori, and Molly – and a son, Kenny. After Kenny died in 2013, his sisters still continued to own and run multiple Wendy's locations. Thomas founded the chain Sisters Chicken and Biscuits in 1978, named in reference to his other three daughters.

Known for ,,faunder of wendy’s’’

Wendy's is an American international fast food restaurant chain founded by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio.
His biggest achievement was founding the Wendy’s fast food chain that specializes in hamburgers. He was also the chief executive officer. He appeared in more than 800 television commercials for Wendy’s from 1989 to 2002.

Death

Thomas had been afflicted with a carcinoid neuroendocrine tumorfor a decade, before it metastasized to his liver. He died on January 8, 2002, in his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the age of 69. Thomas was buried in Union Cemetery in Columbus, Ohio. At the time of his death, there were more than 6,000 Wendy's restaurants operating in North America.

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