Who is Walter Grimes from The Easter Parade: A Novel and what is their importance?

Walter Grimes is Emily and Sarah's father. Walter Grimes had a desire to become a writer one day, but finds himself stuck on the copy desk for a long career that ends in dismissal. Walter becomes an alcoholic to both bury his disappointment in his career and to soothe his broken heart over the end of his marriage. Walter is a good father when he is around, but he remains aloof and uninvolved until his death, leaving Emily unaware of some of the most important aspects of his life, such as his committed lover.