A judge of the Separate Juvenile Court of Sarpy County will leave the bench at the end of this month.

Judge Lawrence D. Gendler is retiring effective May 31 after more than 28 years of service, the Nebraska Judicial Branch said in a news release last week.

“For almost 15 years, I have been project chair of the Supreme Court statewide initiative, ‘Through the Eyes of the Child,’” Gendler said in a letter to Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, according to the release. “I have become friends with numerous county judges who, along with my colleagues on the juvenile court bench, address challenges facing youth and families with determination and grace.”

He continued in the letter, “In particular, I have found our county judges do more with less than any group of professionals I have ever encountered. Because of the support of our Chief Justice, this (Eyes of the Child) initiative is now an integral and important component of our juvenile court system.”

Gendler has also provided educational programming for judges, attorneys, officials and news reporters, the Judicial Branch said.

Gendler first took the bench on Dec. 30, 1992. Prior to that, he had served in the Sarpy County Attorney’s Office since 1978, when he graduated from the Creighton University School of Law.

The Nebraska Judicial Resources Commission will determine if his retirement creates a vacancy on the bench. Once that step is taken, a nominating commission will accept applications and review candidates before forwarding the name of finalists to the governor.