UPPER ARLINGTON, Ohio — Dave Thomas was remembered Friday as a simple man who used common sense and hard work to build Wendy's into the nation's third-largest fast-food company.

        “Today, we are talking about a simple guy, a really good guy who walked a road less traveled,” the Rev. Larry Thompson said.

        More than 700 people packed Upper Arlington Lutheran Church in suburban Columbus for Mr. Thomas' funeral. He died Tuesday of liver cancer at age 69.

        In 1969, he started Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers, named after his daughter. The company now has 6,000 restaurants worldwide.

        “It was so easy to work for Dave,” said Rick Richards, a friend and consultant. “All you had to do was work hard and do the right thing.”

        Once, the Rev. Mr. Thompson said, Mr. Thomas asked him what he thought about a former employee who returned $200 to him 20 years after it was stolen.

        The Rev. Mr. Thompson told Mr. Thomas, “Dave, I think that's great. It's wonderful to see God working in the man's life.”

        After a pause, Mr. Thomas asked, “You think if God works a little harder, the guy will send me the interest?”

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