Who is Wade from The Sportswriter and what is their importance?

Wade is Vicki's father. He was a young man when his wife died of cancer, and he found himself lost in despair when she passed away. Unable to find direction, he in quit his lucrative job and moved to New Jersey. He then met a woman much younger than himself, whom he soon married because her religious beliefs kept her from consummating the relationship without the commitment of marriage. Now Wade is living in a nice house, working a job that is mundane but fulfilling. Wade is living the dream that Frank wants to find for himself. However, Frank soon realizes he is going about it in the wrong way and begins to realize that he needs to be happy in himself before he can be happy in a relationship.