Since 1989, Dave Thomas, who died at the age of 69, was one of the most recognizable faces on TV. He appeared in more than 800 commercials for the hamburger chain named for his daughter. "As long as it works", he said in 1991, "I'll continue to do those commercials." 

Even though he was successful, Thomas remained troubled by his childhood. "He still won't let anyone see his feet, which are out of shape because he never had proper fitting shoes," Wendy said in 1993. Born to a single mother, he was adopted as a baby by Rex and Auleva Thomas of Kalamazoo in Michigan. After Auleva died when he was 5, Thomas spent years on the road as Rex traveled around seeking construction work. "He fed me," Thomas said, "and if I got out of line, he'd beat me." 

Moving out on his own at 15, Thomas worked, first as a waiter, in many restaurants. But he had something much better in mind. "I thought if I owned a restaurant," he said, "I could eat for free." A 1956 meeting with Harland Sanders led Thomas to a career as the manager of a Kentucky Chicken restaurant that made him a millionaire in 1968. 

In 1969, after breaking with Sanders, Thomas started the first Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers, in Columbus, Ohio, which set itself apart by serving made-to-order burgers. With 6,000 restaurants worldwide, the chain now makes $ 6 billion a year in sales. 

Although troubled by his own experience with adoption, Thomas, married since 1954 to Lorraine, 66, and with four grown kids besides Wendy, felt it could offer a future for other children. He started the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption in 1992. 

In 1993, Thomas, who had left school at 15, graduated from Coconut Creek High School in Florida. He even took Lorraine to the graduation dance party. The kids voted him Most Likely to Succeed. 

"The Dave you saw on TV was the real Dave," says friend Pat Williams. "He wasn't a great actor or a great speaker . _ ."
Why did Thomas have misshapen feet?
Who died when he was 5?
How was she related to him?
What work did his adopted father do?
Where were they from originally?
Did they stay there throughout Thomas' childhood?
When did Thomas move out?
What was his first job?
What happened in 1956?
What job did it lead to?
When did Thomas become a millionaire?
Where was Wendy's founded?
In what year?
When did Thomas marry?
Who is his wife?
How many children do they have?
Did Thomas feel that he was happily adopted?
In response, what did he create?
In what year?
At what age did Thomas die?
Who was Wendy?
he never had proper fitting shoes
 he never had proper fitting shoes
Auleva
Auleva died when he was 5
his adopted mother
he was adopted as a baby by Rex and Auleva Thomas
construction
raveled around seeking construction work
Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo in Michigan
no
Thomas spent years on the road as Rex traveled around seeking construction work.
at age 15
Moving out on his own at 15
a waiter
Thomas worked, first as a waiter, in many restaurants.
a meeting with Harland Sanders
A 1956 meeting with Harland Sanders
manager
career as the manager of a Kentucky Chicken restaurant 
in 1968
made him a millionaire in 1968
Columbus, Ohio
Thomas started the first Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers, in Columbus, Ohio
1969
In 1969
1954
Thomas, married since 1954
Lorraine
 since 1954 to Lorraine
five
four grown kids besides Wendy
no with adoption,
Although troubled by his own experience with adoption,
the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
He started the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
1992
1992
69
 who died at the age of 69
his daughter
hamburger chain named for his daughter