Melanie Jane Routt was born February 6th, 1952, to Melvin Eugene and Wilma Antoinette (Rothert) Keller as the second child, older brother Bill Keller, younger twins Ray and Louise. Melanie was known as "Peanut" from the nickname she received from her father as he always described her as his little peanut. Brother Bill was nicknamed Billy, and the younger twins were nicknamed the Monkeys. She adopted this name for the rest of her life. Falling in love with the Peanuts Gang in Charlie Brown Cartoons, Jeff Dunham ventriloquist had a puppet named Peanut.

She Graduated High School from John F. Kennedy Senior High in Bloomington MN 1970.

Melanie later went to Mankato for a year and had a little too much fun, so her dad said to make a change. Let's be real at this point, she has always been a free spirit.

Later her education included attending a Nurse's Aide program in Rapid City which led to her ultimate career choice of caregiving.

Melanie had two children, Zachariah(son), Jennifer(daughter).

While married to Gary Routt, retired Air Force, he took a job in San Francisco and as a family they moved from Rapid City to San Francisco shortly after the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989. Her son Zachariah moved back to Rapid City in 1999 and she later decided to move back to Rapid City in 2004 to be close to her first grand baby Brooklyn. While in San Franciso area she worked multiple roles with several early tech companies such as InterCall and Trans Ocean Leasing helping to facilitate their successes.

Melanie loved fast cars and cute boys. She loved her 1969 Mustang Dusty blue in Color. 1st Husband Dave Wipf was a drag racer. Husband Tom Vernali had a couple of Corvette's. Son would take her for rides in his BMW's. She leaves behind a 2000 Honda Prelude.

She later got back into her care giver roles being a live in care provider for a wonderful elderly man Everett Balcom. Later working at St Martins Monastery assisting retired nuns.

She is survived by her two children, daughter Jennifer Routt, her partner Jason Stewart and a son Zachariah Routt, his wife Tina and their three Children, Brooklyn (20), Danyka (15) and Aja (11). She is preceded in death by her parents Melvin and Wilma, brother Ray, and nephew Joshua.