Joseph E. Leipert, 82, Phila. police officer, detective

After Joseph E. Leipert retired as a Philadelphia police detective lieutenant in the late 1980s, his investigative work was not done.

Until the early 2000s, Mr. Leipert worked for the office of the Montgomery County district attorney.

"He was basically investigating attorneys who had complaints filed by citizens," Mr. Leipert's son David said.

"Most would involve taking money and never doing work."

Mr. Leipert liked the job because it got personal, his son said. "He would always try to get some of the money back, instead of just filing charges."

On Monday, Jan. 25, Mr. Leipert, 82, of Cape May Court House, died of respiratory failure at Cape May Regional Medical Center.

Growing up in Fishtown, Mr. Leipert had to drop out of high school "to help support the family," when his mother of six children died.

He was drafted into the Army and served in statewide assignments from 1955 to 1957 before joining the Fairmount Park Guards in 1960.

As a Philadelphia officer, his son said, "most of the time he was uniformed, a sergeant for many years."

In a February 1985 letter, he said, Mr. Leipert received one of several commendations, this one for an investigation that led to a murder charge.

After retiring from the Montgomery County office at 70, he earned a real estate license and worked for four more years for the residential real estate office run by his son David in Mayfair.

A member of the Fraternal Order of Police in Philadelphia, he moved in 2007 to Cape May Court House from North Wales.

Besides son David, Mr. Leipert is survived by his wife of 62 years, Elizabeth; sons Joseph E. Jr. and Richard; daughters Elizabeth Lewandowski and Kimberly Leipert; three brothers and two sisters; 14 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.

A viewing was set from 9 to 10 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 30, at Our Lady of the Angels Church, 35 E. Mechanic St., Cape May Court House, before a 10 a.m. Funeral Mass there. Interment is to be private.

Donations may be sent to the St. Jude Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude Pl., Memphis, Tenn. 39105 or to www.stjude.org.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.radzieta.com.

wnaedele@phillynews.com610-313-8134@WNaedele