Who is Bill Bonham from Johnny Got His Gun and what is their importance?

The protagonist's father, Bill Bonham, dies at age fifty-one in Los Angeles, California after a long illness, and the phone call to his son at the bakery where he works is the opening nightmare Joe suffers in the novel, even before realizing he has lost his arms, legs, and senses other than touch. Bill Bonham is originally from Shale City, Colorado, where he settles with his bride, Macia, of nearby Cole Creek Valley. They live on the edge of town in a comfortable little house. Bill prides himself on his gardening, which he expands to the vacant lot next door. He feeds his family better than most city folk, and works hard in a store, but never makes much money. For this reason he is considered—by himself and others—a failure.