Who is Ozzie Boone from Brother Odd and what is their importance?

Ozzie Boone is Odd's mentor and father figure, not to mention close friend from Pico Mundo. A mystery writer of some fame, Ozzie is the person who first encouraged Odd to keep a manuscript about his adventures in life. He is also the one Odd calls when it is finally time for Odd to go home to Pico Mundo. Driving his specially-made Cadillac, all four hundred pounds of Ozzie is happy to see Odd. Wealthy by all standards, he agrees to put together a trust fund for Flossie Bodenblatt, one of the children in the school.