Daughter of Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers founder Dave Thomas. Her father's fast food restaurant chain was named after her and used her pigtailed image as its mascot.
She was born Melinda Lou Thomas, but went by the nickname of Wendy because, as a child, she could not pronounce her given first name.
She studied consumerism at the University of Florida, graduating in 1983.
She was one of four children born to Dave and Lorraine Thomas. She was married twice: to Paul Morse and Gary Floto. She had a daughter named Mckenzie Morse.
Her father and Wilbur Hardee both founded major American fast food chains.
