The caravan of vintage autos avoided main roads and interstate highways.
"We traveled on back roads using map guides that the auto clubs had prepared," she said.
Mrs. Synodinos said that they carried along spare parts in case of mechanical emergencies.
Richard E. Marrs, a member of the Classic Car Club of America and owner of a 1935 Packard formal sedan and a 1947 Cadillac limousine, was a longtime friend.
"He had the biggest heart of any guy I've known. He was always picking up things at auto shows that he thought you needed or would like to have. I remember him picking up a bunch of miniature automobile jacks and giving them to us," Mr. Marrs said.
"And if he saw someone stranded on the side of the road, he'd pull his car over and take over. Jim did what needed to be done. He knew what he was doing. He was an excellent mechanic and got them back on their way," he said.
David G. Benson, who lives in Hunt Valley, drives a 1937 Palm Beach tan-colored Cord.
"I hated going on tours if Jim weren't along because he always had a huge amount of spare parts that could fix any car," he said. "He was also a very humorous man that everyone looked to for comments."
Last May, Mr. Synodinos and his wife joined 30 other classic-car enthusiasts when they loaded their 1941 Packard aboard a container ship at Dundalk Marine Terminal for shipment to Amsterdam. They were reunited with their car in Basel, Switzerland, and then trekked through Switzerland, France, Germany, Austria and Italy, Mrs. Synodinos said.
Mr. Marrs said that plans to honor their friend with a funeral procession of vintage autos and a period Packard hearse today had to be postponed because of the snow this week.
"Salt is bad for classic cars," Mr. Marrs said. "We'll do something to honor Jim's life in the near future."
Services will be held at 10 a.m. today at Ruck Towson Funeral Home, 1050 York Road.
Also surviving are two stepsons, Warren W. Dodge III of Parkville and David W. Dodge of Dundalk; four grandsons; and two great-granddaughters.
