Burial of a Cohen in the Israelite Section
Question
If a Cohen has passed away and there is no place of honor for him in the Cohen's section, is it possible to bury him in the Israelite section?
Answer
It is possible and there is no prohibition against it, but his sons, who are Cohens, will not be able to bury him, nor visit his grave on the anniversary of his death (Yahrzeit).
Source
Darchei Moshe HaKatzar, section Yoreh Deah, chapter 373, paragraph 3: 'It has become customary to bury the Cohens at the end of the cemetery so that their relatives do not become impure when returning from the burial.' And Bar Sheshet wrote in section 124: 'The reason for this custom to bury the Cohens on the border of a cemetery is specifically this. However, it is permitted to bury a Cohen among the dead of Israel and there is no issue of impurity for the deceased Cohen, nor is it a matter of advantage to be like a righteous person next to a wicked one.'