Hawking actually led me stronger in my belief of God. Hawking knew a lot more about God's law than they are giving him credit for. Yes... physics, the science of matter and energy, is comprised of multiple physical laws, but more importantly, God wrote the code for it. Of course, Hawking didn't attribute the physical laws to God, but they are nevertheless God's physical laws that he arguably knew to a greater degree than else in the world. (We obviously have him beat on the spiritual laws though.)
Learning more about the physical laws reinforced my personal conviction in God. Many atheists want to pretend Christians can't be scientists or even scientific. I beg to differ... God is an amazing scientist! We can use science to reinforce our spiritual beliefs, but it can only go so far. We are limited in knowledge, both physical and spiritual. This is where faith is required. Sadly, learning so much of God's physical laws had the opposite effect on Hawking.
I won't be the one judging or casting Hawking to Heaven or Hell, but instead, state what I truly wish and hope for. I hope Hawking did accept Christ before his death. I hope that Hawking ISN'T doomed to hell, but instead roaming the universe he studied so much in his limited physical form. I hope Hawking's name becomes synonymous with "astrophysics" and that the world can truly appreciate his contributions in the field of science and to disabled people who might be in physical bondage but free in their mind! I know my hope won't change God's judgement on him, but I also know God will judge perfectly (regardless of where Hawking ends up).