Joseph Leopold Imesch

Joseph Leopold Imesch (June 21, 1931 – December 22, 2015) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Bishop of the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois from 1979 to 2006.

Joseph Imesch was born in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan to Dionys and Margaret (née Margelisch) Imesch. After attending Catholic elementary schools in Grosse Pointe, he attended Sacred Heart Seminary High School and College in Detroit, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1953. He then continued his studies at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, earning a Licentiate of Sacred Theology in 1957.

While in Rome, Imesch was ordained to the priesthood on December 16, 1956. Following his return to Michigan, Imesch served as a curate at St. Charles Church in Detroit until 1959, when he became private secretary to Cardinal John Francis Dearden. He then served as pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Farmington, Michigan from 1971-77.

On February 8, 1973, Imesch was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Pomaria by Pope Paul VI. He received his episcopal consecration on the following April 3 from Cardinal Dearden, with Bishops Walter Joseph Schoenherr and Thomas Gumbleton serving as co-consecrators. He continued to serve at Our Lady of Sorrows until becoming regional bishop of the Northwest Region of the Detroit Archdiocese in 1977.

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